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Little Leaf Sumac

Rhus microphylla

Other common name(s):

Desert Sumac, Correosa, Agritos

Family:

Anacardiaceae (Sumac Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Edwards Plateau, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands
Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Shrub

Height

4
to
8
ft.

Spread

8
to
20
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White, Pink, Green

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fruit, Fall Color, Forage

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Birds, Small Mammals, Bees

Maintenance

Sumacs make attractive specimen, hedge or background plants and are important wildlife plants. Propagation: Seed, Semi-hardwood cuttings,

Comments

Blooms March-May. Much-branched shrub with small leaves composed of tiny, leathery, shiny leaflets. Axillary and terminal clusters of white flowers, which appear before the leaves, are followed by 2-4 in. clusters of orange-red berries. Flowers and fruits are usually not very numerous. Fall color is muted rose and purple. They are fast growing, generally pest and disease-free, and drought-tolerant. Colonies are often single-sexed, formed from a single, suckering parent. Only female plants produce flowers and berries.

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas. 2) Wasowski, Sally and Wasowski, Andy, Native Texas Plants, Landscaping Region by Region, 1988, 1991, pg 258. 3) Miller, George O., Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas 2nd Ed., 2013, pg 48. 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=862&locationType=County&mapType=Normal. 5) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Rhus+microphylla&formsubmit=Search+Terms. 6) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=RHMI3, 7) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=28788#null

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State Office Phone: 830.997.9272

State Office Address:
Native Plant Society of Texas
PO Box 3017
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

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