Native Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Pinnate
Leaf Shape: Elliptic
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Dioecious
Size Notes: 6-12 feet.
Leaf: Dull green above, pale below.
Flower: Flowers in 4 inch clusters
Fruit: Orange-red. 1/4 inch.
Size Class: 6-12 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Green
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AZ , NM , OK , TX
Native Distribution: W. TX to AZ & adjacent Mex.
Native Habitat: Dry, scrubby uplands; open, alkali flats; thickets; desert plains & mesas
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Cold Tolerant: yes
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Sandy or rocky soils. Limestone-based, Caliche type Sandy Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam Clay
Conditions Comments: Native sumacs make attractive specimen, hedge or background plants and are important wildlife plants. 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.

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Grows in clumps, Fruits ornamental, Fall conspicuous
Use Wildlife: Winter food for many upland gamebirds, songbirds, and large and small mammals. Fruit-birds, Fruit-mammals, Browse
Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Provides Nesting Materials/Structure for Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Scarified and stratified seed planted 1/3-3/4 in. deep and rooted semi-hardwood cuttings are used for increase.
Seed Treatment: Acid scarification for one hour followed by stratification at 41 degrees for 30-60 days.
Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Hill Country Natives - Leander, TX

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX
NPSOT - Austin Chapter - Austin, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0905 Collected Jun 25, 1994 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe

Bibliography

Bibref 355 - Landscaping with Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest (1991) Miller, G. O.
Bibref 995 - Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender
Bibref 297 - Trees of Central Texas (1984) Vines, Robert A.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Rhus microphylla in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Rhus microphylla in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Rhus microphylla