Rhus, Staghorn Sumac, Velvet Sumac 'Tiger Eyes'

On Jun 4, 2021, Larkz from Crystal Lake, IL wrote:

Tiger Eye Sumac hybrid has been sold and promoted as not being as aggressive as its parent sumacs, but that is largely false. This plant is the single most aggressive that I've ever added to my landscape.

It is an attractive plant with an interesting form, and the trunk can be shaped creatively with trimming, so that much is good. The color is usually nice, bright yellow-green in spring and summer, reddish-orange in the fall (very briefly before it loses its leaves). And it grows quickly into a small tree.

But this plant's roots will burrow under barriers as deep as 18 inches (solid concrete) and travel 30 feet or more, springing up pups everywhere. My two sumacs are on a small berm with timber walls, surrounded by mulch trails and a sidewalk. It goes under th... read moree timber, under the sidewalk, through dozens of feet of gravel, and happily creates as many as a hundred baby clones along the way. I could start a business selling its offspring!

On Jul 7, 2015, Memphisgreen from Memphis, TN wrote:

I have had Tiger eye planted for 2-3 years in a very sunny spot in the middle of the yard. It is a beautiful focal point for my yard. However, this year I have noticed the lower branches dying off, wilting, turning orange (almost as if it is autumn). The upper branches are vibrant and green but the lower branches continue to die and wilt. I have no clue as to why this is happening.

Has anyone had this experience with Tiger eye?

On Aug 14, 2014, Terri1948 from Yorkshire,
wrote:

No doubt about it, this is a beautiful shrub/tree and the foliage is very attractive.
However, if you are tempted to buy it, try growing in a very strong metal container. Even then, the roots will find their way through the holes in the bottom if the container stands on a lawn or anywhere where there is soil. Personally, I would stand it on concrete.
As others have said, those roots will spread and cause havoc unless controlled.

On Mar 10, 2014, coriaceous from ROSLINDALE, MA wrote:

With beautiful chartreuse color on a lacy dissected leaf, this is the most exciting staghorn sumac cultivar, interesting and beautiful all season, with excellent orange-to-red fall color. Like all staghorn sumacs, its winter appearance is coarse.

Staghorn sumac is by nature multitrunked. It suckers from wide-spreading roots to form large clumps many yards across---much like a running bamboo. It's not a plant for a small residential yard or garden, unless you confine the roots or enjoy the never-ending job of pulling out sumac suckers. It does not mix well with other shrubs or perennials in a border or foundation planting.

Its spread can be arrested by a metal or heavy plastic root barrier a foot deep. This will have a dwarfing effect. Eventually the colony wil... read morel decline, the soil will need renewal, and some suckers will need replanting.

It's a tough plant, tolerant of drought, poor soil, and pollution, that's excellent for highway medians and banks and other large sunny spaces. In a large lawn or campus setting, a clump can be controlled like bamboo by mowing around it.

A senescent clump can be renewed by bravely cutting down every trunk in early spring. Be forewarned: new suckers will spring up densely from every root, which may extend further than you realize.

In late summer to early fall, the leaves are the first to turn---a fiery orange-to-red.

In the garden, it can be aggressive, but it is not invasive in natural areas, and it appears on no state invasive plant or noxious weed list.

Tiger Eyes TM is a trademark. The cultivar name is 'Bailtiger'.

On Jun 5, 2013, ms_greenjeans from Hopkins, MN (Zone 4a) wrote:

Just planted one of these in my border near the alley, next to a patch of goutweed. I have heard varying opinions about the sumac being invasive; if it is, I am hoping that the two species fighting it out will keep each other in check. This is because I removed a lot of ditch lilies from that area last year, and the goutweed spread more than it ever had in the previous 20 years, so I figured the two aggressive species had been controlling each other. We'll see what happens. I do hope it works, because the Tiger Eyes sumac is very pretty.

On May 19, 2012, Baer1 from Chilliwack , BC (Zone 8a) wrote:

Have planted in a 4'x4'x3' high raised bed made of PT 4x4s. Surrounded with June bearing strawberries. No issues with suckering. Looks beautiful with the dark green strawb leaves.

On Jun 23, 2011, mknatali from Richmond, UT wrote:

I have seen Tiger Eyes Sumac growing in planters and they are beautiful. I love the color and the way they grow. I just bought one and was assured they do not succor, but my research today proves otherwise. Mine is in a large pot. I have contained other plants by cutting off the bottom of the pot, leaving the sides around the root ball and planting the tree in the pot to force the roots downward. Do you think this would keep mine from succoring?

On Aug 14, 2009, SW_gardener from (Zone 6a) wrote:

Beautiful and fast growing! Has put on alot of new growth since planted earlier in the season.

On Aug 25, 2007, jkramer from Saint Charles, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:

Lovely bush. It sends out sucker shoots up to two feet away from the main stem. These little shoots can be dug up and replanted elsewhere. Cutting the root from the main bush will cause them to wilt when transplanted, but the little shoots soon perk up and begin to grow on their own.

On Nov 24, 2005, bonniewong from edmonton,
Canada wrote:

I love this new cultivar, the colors are unreal and look good with everything from pastels to orange to bright red. It has steadly grown since planted, with a sucker coming up a few inches from the one stem.