Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina

Suckering eastern North American small tree with velvety young stems suggesting deer antlers, pinnate leaves turning brilliant orange and scarlet in autumn, and persistent red fuzzy fruit clusters through winter.

Hardiness ratings

Staghorn sumac hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 3–8 −40 °C to −6.7 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H7 down to −20 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 3–8 −34 °C to −1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 2–6 −10 °C to 15 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Brilliant scarlet and orange autumn colour, holding into November in many climates — among the most reliable autumn-colouring small trees
  • WARNING: Listed INVASIVE outside its native eastern North American range, including parts of Europe and the UK — spreads aggressively by suckers, do not plant where unwanted thickets cannot be tolerated
  • Female trees carry persistent fuzzy red fruit cones through winter — a strong cold-season feature
  • Cultivar ‘Tiger Eyes’ is much less vigorous and a safer choice in smaller gardens

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check Staghorn sumac against your zones

Reference

Staghorn sumac on Wikipedia