Sumac Seed

There are several species of Sumac that can be found across the eastern half of this continent and they are all wonderful plants to work with. Each species fills a slightly different role but across the board they are generally short and shrubby and perform well in early successional sites. In other words they appreciate routine disturbances such as fire or animal browse or mowing. Sumac usually spreads via suckers and provides excellent habitat for small animals.

I do not have much experience growing sumac from seed but this year we do have an abundance of seed so we are offering it here in hopes that we all can learn this together! If you have experience growing sumac from seed please reach out and let us know your tricks! We would love to hear how the seed do for you. Our sumac seed is stored dry. We have the following species available. 

Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)

Smooth sumac is a tall, colony-forming shrub or small tree (10–20 feet) with smooth, hairless twigs and striking red fall foliage. It thrives in open, sunny sites, poor soils, and disturbed areas, and is widely used for wildlife food, reclamation projects, and erosion control. Its red fruit clusters persist into winter and are valuable for birds.

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)

Staghorn sumac is a large, dramatic sumac recognized by its velvety, antler-like twigs and dense upright clusters of red fruit. It can reach 20–30 feet and forms expansive clonal stands. Extremely hardy and fast-growing, it is well suited to slope stabilization, wildlife habitat, and poor or rocky soils, though it spreads aggressively in open areas.

Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica)

Fragrant sumac is a low-growing, spreading native shrub known for its aromatic leaves, excellent red-to-orange fall color, and adaptability to dry, rocky soils. It forms dense thickets via underground stems, making it valuable for erosion control, wildlife cover, and low hedgerows. Unlike taller sumacs, it rarely exceeds 6–10 feet and tolerates partial shade better than other species.

USFS-recommended propagation:
The Forest Service notes that fragrant sumac is most reliably propagated vegetatively. Root cuttings or divisions from established plants are preferred and produce fast, uniform results. It can also be grown from seed, but seeds have double dormancy and require mechanical or acid scarification followed by cold stratification (3–4 months). Because of slow and uneven germination, seed propagation is used mainly for restoration rather than nursery production.