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Rhus copallinum L.
Winged Sumac
Shining Sumac
Florida native
A shrub or small tree of sandhills, flatwoods and dry hammocks in all of Florida. The range includes all of the eastern United States, wet into Texas to Nebraska, plus Ontario.
Winged sumac is a slender plant and can grow to 8m (26 ft.) but is usually found much shorter. Leaves are alternate, up to 30cm (1 ft.) long and pinnately compound with from 9 to 23 leaflets and a winged rachis. Leaflets are elliptic to lanceolate, 1-3cm (4/10 to 1-3/16 in.) wide and 3-8cm (1-3/16 to 3-1/6 in.) long, usually with entire margins but occasionally with a few teeth. The tiny greenish-yellow flowers are in compact terminal panicles. The clusters of fruit are made up of dull red flattened, pubescent drupes, 3-5mm (1/8 to 3/16 in.) in size.
This is one of Florida's more colorful trees in the fall and the fruit attracts birds.
Rhus copallinum is a member of the Anacardiaceae - Cashew and Sumac family.
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Dec 25, 2023
