Rhus aromatica
plant facts :
common name : fragrant sumac
scientific name : rhus aromatica
coordinate location of where observed it : 145^ SE, 38^39'36"N 90^23'45"W , ladue, MO, 630 ft elevation.
leaf color : shades of peridot green, grass green and olive green
branch color : a mix of french grey 50% and light umber
plant size : 5-12 feet and 4-6 feet wide.
leaf height : typically ranging from 2-6 cm
leaf arrangement : alternate
plant type : deciduous shrub
blooming : blooms in April, May and June
nearby plants : the Canadian goldenrod, the button bush, the new England aster
attracts : native bees, honey bees, various butterflies and moths.
observations and information
specimen observed and recorded by riley noonan on september 28th, 2021, in ladue missouri, u.s.a.
most stalks are about a meter tall, and there are many branches with leaves branching from the base of the bush plant.
the plant’s main location on campus is within a 24’ by 8’ copse retaining many different trees, flowers and plants which are all native to Missouri, making for a special collection of species who were initially rooted in the same place, historically.
there is also a creek to the north of the plant’s location, and a sidewalk bordering the grove on both the plant’s north and south sides. to the west and south, there are parking lots, and a road north of it beyond the sidewalk and creek.
there were not any pollinators on the plant while i observed it, but there were many bees and butterflies flying around it and on top of flowers nearby.
honorable moth mentions :
banded hairstreak
red banded hairstreak
other important growing facts :
the growing conditions for the rhus aromatica include that of full sun or slight shade and medium to dry levels of watering; the plant is very low maintenance and can survive through conditions like soil erosion, drought and dry/shallow-rocky soil. this is one of the reasons why the plant is seen frequently around the MICDS campus - it is easy to maintain and decorates the campus honorably while simultaneously being a positive contribution to other species' lives inhabiting the plants and area around it.
grows commonly in glades, thickets and open woods all around Missouri.
it grows by it's spreading of root suckers to form thickets in the wild.
Works Cited :
"Banded Hairstreak." Wisconsin Butterflies, wisconsinbutterflies.org/butterfly/species/36-banded-hairstreak. Accessed 30 Sept. 2021.
Red-Banded Hairstreak. www.carolinanature.com/butterflies/redbandedhairstreak.html. Accessed 30 Sept. 2021.
"Rhus Aromatica." Missouri Botanical Garden, www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=275952.
"Rhus Aromatica." Wildflower.org, U of Texas at Austin, www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=rhar4. Accessed 30 Sept. 2021.