PlantFiles: Staghorn Sumac, Velvet Sumac
Rhus typhina

Nothing would grow in the yellow clay on the south side of my house without constant watering. I planted three plants, 3 years ago and with watering only when I think about it these 3 have become many, developing a lush ecosystem unique to my yard. Almost tropical. They also grow fast providing shade to cool the house. Living on a wind blown clay knob, with 10 inches of precip and with -20 to 110 F temps, I have learned to appreciate any plant that survives.

This is a highly invasive plant in western Kansas, called the 'sucker plant' for it's amazing ability to replicate itself so speedily via root suckers. It forms large 'colonies' with the oldest trees in the middle and the younger trees spreading outward and will grow almost anywhere, making it an excellent plant for putting where no other plant will survive but it's spread can be a hard-to-control thing. It has been known to invade and take over gardens and choke out small trees without proper control. and is marked as an invasive weed in Wisconson

The wood is light and brittle, somewhat similar to balsa wood. The berries are sour and can be used in pies, or soaked to make a drink. They shouldn't be boiled, as this makes the drink astringent.

The fruit can be soaked overnight then diluted and sweetened to make a lemonade substitute.

Very nice looking plant. I use it in landscapping. Can grow in almost any soil conditions (ecept for swampy-marshy), and most lighting conditions. Once it is established, it is very hard to unistablish.
Bark from roots is used for leather dye.

Staghorn sumac is a large, open, spreading shrub or small tree. Fern-like leaves turn attractive shades of orange, yellow and red in autumn. Common name comes from the dense, reddish brown hairs which cover the stems of this plant in somewhat the same way as velvet covers the antlers of a stag (male deer).