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Sourberry
Rhus aromatica
  
About Sourberry (Rhus aromatica) 34 Nurseries Carry This Plant Rhus trilobata is a shrub in the Anacardiaceae (Cashew) family with the common name Fragrant Sumac and several others. It was formerly classified as Rhus trilobata and some sources still refer to it that way. It is native to western North America. In California it occurs in many parts of the state including the northern Coast Ranges, Sierra foothills and southern coastal mountains. It can be found from deserts to mountain peaks up to about 7,000 feet in elevation. The pale yellow flowers are followed by a red, fleshy drupe that has a sticky coating, similar to Lemonade Berry. This species closely resembles other members of the genus that have leaves with three "leaflets" ("trifoliate" leaves), including Poison-oak. People with sensitivity to Poison-oak should use caution around Fragrant Sumac. The shape of the leaflets and the habit of the shrub make this species, like some other Rhus, resemble small-leafed oaks (Quercus). The plant is deciduous and exhibits good fall color.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Shrub

Size
Size
1.6 - 8 ft tall
8 ft wide

Form
Form
Mounding, Rounded

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Moderate

Dormancy
Dormancy
Winter Deciduous

Flower Color
Flower Color
Cream, Yellow

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Spring

Wildlife Supported
 


Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun

Moisture
Moisture
Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 1x / week once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Moderately Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to -15° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Prefers sandy soil. Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0

Common uses
Common uses
Hedges, Deer Resistant, Bird Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
Use with Manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.), Western Redbud (Cercis occidentalis), Pines (Pinus sp.), Oaks (Quercus sp.), Juniper (Juniperus sp.), and most chaparral plants

Propagation
Propagation?
For propagating by seed: Hot wa ter or soak in concentrated H2S04 1-3 hrs., then 2-3 mos. stratification.

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6*, 7*, 8, 9, 10, 14*, 15, 16, 17, 18*, 19*, 20*, 21*, 22, 23, 24

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Slopes, washes, canyons, mesas, and desert mountains

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 4.5" - 84.5", Summer Precipitation: 0.15" - 3.91", Coldest Month: 18.4" - 56.7", Hottest Month: 39.7" - 83.7", Humidity: 0.09" - 36.82", Elevation: 7" - 10940"

Alternative Names
Botanical Names: Rhus trilobata,Rhus trilobata var. simplicifolia
Common Names: Several Others, Skunkbrush, Skunkbush Sumac, Squawbush


Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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