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West Virginia Trees

Chapter 102: DWARF SUMACH
By A. B. Brooks
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Nature/Gardening/Animals

About This Book

A practical field guide to the native and introduced trees of West Virginia, providing keys based mainly on leaves and fruits, concise family and species descriptions, and detailed line drawings for about 101 native species. It organizes trees by botanical families, gives brief flower notes, a glossary of terms, and suggestions for identifying specimens; occasional introduced species and shrubs are noted. The bulletin emphasizes simplicity for non-specialists, offers measurements and habit descriptions for each species, and includes administrative prefatory material. Its aim is to aid lay readers and students in tree identification and to encourage local interest in forestry.

DWARF SUMACH

Rhus copallina, L.

Form.—A shrub or small tree often attaining in West Virginia a height of 15-20 feet and a diameter of 3-5 inches; trunk straight or angular, supporting a loose irregular crown.

Leaves.—Alternate, compound, 6-12 inches long, with petioles wing-margined between the 9-21 oblong or ovate lanceolate, nearly entire leaflets which are smooth and shining above and pubescent beneath.

Flowers.—July; polygamous; in terminal compact panicles.

Fruit.—Matures in late summer; small dry drupes in compact erect panicles, red, turning dark later in the year, the panicles finally drooping; not poisonous.

Bark.—Roughened on old trunk by brown papery scales or elevated brown projections.

Wood.—Soft, coarse-grained, light brown, richly striped with yellow and black.

Range.—Maine to Florida, west to Texas and Nebraska.

Distribution in West Virginia.—Common in most sections of the State except at high elevations.

Habitat.—Dry hillsides and ridges, frequenting abandoned fields.

Notes.—This sumach, like others of the genus, is chiefly valuable for landscape work, being especially ornamental in its autumnal foliage. The wood is sometimes used in the manufacture of small wooden novelties.