Littleleaf Sumac
Rhus microphylla
Littleleaf sumac is a spiny, small-leaved desert shrub of the Southwest, with early flowers and tart red berries that wildlife depend on. Exceptionally drought- and heat-tolerant for xeric gardens.
- Family
- Anacardiaceae
- Type
- tree
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 10–10 ft
- Spacing
- 6–12 ft apart
- Light
- part shade
- Soil moisture
- dry
- Soil pH
- neutral, alkaline
- Bloom
- March, April, May
- Bloom colors
- white, green
- Wildlife value
- pollinators, songbirds, butterflies, larval host
- Caterpillar hosts
- ~58 butterfly & moth species
- Landscape uses
- specimen, hedge or screen, erosion control
- Native states
- AZ, NM, OK, TX
Related native plants
More Rhus species
- Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)
- Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)
- Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)
- Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica)
- Sugar Bush (Rhus ovata)
- Evergreen Sumac (Rhus virens)