(Skunkbush Sumac)
Rhus aromatica var. trilobata, Levsa Trail, Trinidad Lake State Park, Las Animas Co. 8067
Rhus aromatica var. trilobata, Levsa Trail, Trinidad Lake State Park, Las Animas Co. 8069
Rhus aromatica var. trilobata, Levsa Trail, Trinidad Lake State Park, Las Animas Co. 8072
| Scientific Name | Rhus aromatica var. trilobata (R. trilobata var. trilobata) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | RHTRT |
| Common Name | Skunkbush Sumac, Aromatic Sumac | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 530014 |
| Family | Anacardiacaceae (Sumac) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description |
Life zones and habitat: Plains to montane (3500 to 9000 ft); dry, rocky soils of various types on hillsides, sandhills, along streams, canyon bottoms, and wetlands, grassy flats and woodland openings. Plant: Deciduous, erect to spreading flowering native shrub 2 to 6-1/2 ft. tall but usually about 4 ft. with many irregularly branched stems. Leaves: Ternately-compound with leaflets 0.3 to 2.5 inches long; lateral leaflets 1/2 to 3/4 as long as the central leaflet; ovate to rhomboid; edges have shallow lobes; upper surfaces are smooth or hairy, but not woolly; green, becoming yellow and red in the fall. Inflorescence: Small, dense rounded racemes arising from leaf axils with many small, yellowish-white flowers opening before leaves; 5 petals, stamens and sepals. Bloom Period: April to June. Fruit: Berries (drupes) about 1/4-inch in diameter, red at maturity and fuzzy, containing a single nutlet. References: R. trilobata var. trilobata in "Flora of Colorado" by Jennifer Ackerfield, R. aromatica var. trilobata in SW Colorado Wildflowers, R. trilobata in US Forest Service and R. trilobata var. quinata in USDA Plant Guide. Note: There is a lot of disagreement on the plant name, as evidenced in the discussions on iNaturalist. |
BONAP Distribution Map
Map Color Key |
Colorado Status: Native |
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