Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Smooth Sumac

Rhus glabra

L.

Smooth Sumac

G5Secure Found in 95 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.142191
Element CodePDANA08030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderSapindales
FamilyAnacardiaceae
GenusRhus
Other Common Names
smooth sumac (EN) Sumac glabre (FR)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-05-13
Change Date1984-08-29
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Upland soil, old fields, roadsides, and margins of woods (Gleason). Also with R. trilobata on rocky ridges, ravines, and in thickets on the Great Plains (Aldous 1934).

Ecology

Aldous (1934) found that R. glabra is slow at initiating spring growth, and that stem carbohydrate reserves remain high until the plant flowers (June 18 in KS, July 3 in ND). However, carbohydrate reserves are at a maximum in the fall (Aldous 1934).
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
TennesseeSNRYes
VermontS4Yes
IllinoisSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
WyomingS2Yes
ColoradoS3Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
IdahoSNRYes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
South CarolinaS5Yes
UtahSNRYes
MichiganSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
West VirginiaS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
MassachusettsSNRYes
New JerseyS3Yes
OhioSNRYes
MississippiSNRYes
GeorgiaSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
KansasS5Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
WashingtonSNRYes
South DakotaSNRYes
NebraskaSNRYes
FloridaS2Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
VirginiaS5Yes
IndianaS5Yes
New HampshireSNRYes
North DakotaSNRYes
IowaS5Yes
NevadaS2Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
MontanaSUYes
OregonSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
KentuckyS5Yes
ArizonaSNRYes
North CarolinaS5Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
DelawareS4Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS5Yes
OntarioS5Yes
QuebecSUYes
SaskatchewanSHYes
ManitobaS3Yes
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (95)
Alabama (3)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainTalladega National Forest4,986
Oakey MountainTalladega National Forest6,129
Reed BrakeTalladega National Forest621
Arizona (12)
AreaForestAcres
Cherry CreekTonto National Forest11,371
ChiricahuaCoronado National Forest76,876
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
Happy ValleyCoronado National Forest7,972
Lower RinconCoronado National Forest3,278
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Mitchell PeakApache-Sitgreaves National Forests35,398
NolanApache-Sitgreaves National Forests6,780
Pine Mountain Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest6,518
Pine Mountain Wilderness ContiguousPrescott National Forest3,129
PipestemApache-Sitgreaves National Forests34,598
Sierra Ancha Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest7,787
Arkansas (5)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainOuachita National Forest9,755
Clifty CanyonOzark-St. Francis National Forest1,963
Dismal CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest9,160
East ForkOzark-St. Francis National Forest13,037
Gee CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,957
California (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bucks LakePlumas National Forest680
Chips CreekLassen National Forest29,089
Chips CreekPlumas National Forest12,940
Georgia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Joe GapChattahoochee National Forest5,321
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Indiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mogan RidgeHoosier National Forest8,435
Minnesota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Wood LakeSuperior National Forest596
New Mexico (7)
AreaForestAcres
Alamo CanyonSanta Fe National Forest8,639
Devils CreekGila National Forest89,916
Guaje CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,104
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
RendijaSanta Fe National Forest2,176
Ryan HillCibola National Forest34,201
Sawyers PeakGila National Forest59,743
North Carolina (9)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Cheoah BaldNantahala National Forest7,795
Cherry Cove (addition)Nantahala National Forest836
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Woods MountainPisgah National Forest9,602
North Dakota (2)
AreaForestAcres
SheyenneDakota Prairie Grasslands14,537
VenloDakota Prairie Grasslands5,317
Oregon (6)
AreaForestAcres
BuckhornWallowa-Whitman National Forest17,180
DeadhorseWallowa-Whitman National Forest10,690
HellholeUmatilla National Forest65,679
Imnaha FaceWallowa-Whitman National Forest29,575
Sheep DivideWallowa-Whitman National Forest16,201
Snake RiverWallowa-Whitman National Forest31,229
South Carolina (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bee CoveSumter National Forest3,025
Ellicott Rock 2Sumter National Forest517
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Tennessee (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
Devil's BackboneCherokee National Forest4,287
Texas (2)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Little Lake CreekNational Forests in Texas596
Utah (18)
AreaForestAcres
418024Uinta National Forest51,699
418025Uinta National Forest32,698
Clarkston Mtn.Caribou National Forest7,099
Lewis PeakWasatch-Cache National Forest11,616
Lone Peak ContiguousWasatch-Cache National Forest874
Mahogany RangeWasatch-Cache National Forest11,409
Middle FrancisWasatch-Cache National Forest3,296
MogotsuDixie National Forest16,762
Moody WashDixie National Forest31,835
Mt. Logan NorthWasatch-Cache National Forest18,930
Mt. Logan SouthWasatch-Cache National Forest17,014
Mt. Logan WestWasatch-Cache National Forest5,285
Mt. NaomiWasatch-Cache National Forest41,922
Mt. OlympusWasatch-Cache National Forest9,982
North FrancisWasatch-Cache National Forest8,148
PavantFishlake National Forest42,560
South FrancisWasatch-Cache National Forest3,374
WellsvilleWasatch-Cache National Forest1,717
Virginia (14)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Crawford MountainGeorge Washington National Forest9,892
Elliott KnobGeorge Washington National Forest9,380
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Mt. PleasantGeorge Washington National Forest8,933
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Saint Marys AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest1,454
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Black CanyonOkanogan National Forest9,681
Wyoming (3)
AreaForestAcres
Laramie PeakMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest28,608
Little BighornBighorn National Forest133,949
Walker PrairieBighorn National Forest62,434
References (17)
  1. Aldous, A. E. 1929. The eradication of brush and weeds from pasture lands. Agron. J. 21:660-666.
  2. Aldous, A.E. 1934. Effect of burning on Kansas bluestem pastures. Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. Technical Bulletin 38. 65 pp.
  3. Anderson, K. L., E. F. Smith, and C. E. Owensby. 1970. Burning bluestem range. J. Range Manage. 23:81-92.
  4. Anderson, R.C. 1982. An evolutionary model summarizing the roles of fire, climate, and grazing animals in the origin and maintenance of grasslands: an end paper. Pages 297-308 in J.R. Estes, R.J. Tyrl, and J.N. Brunken (eds.), Grasses and Grasslands, Systematics and Ecology. Univ. of Oklahoma Press, Norman. 312 pp.
  5. Armstrong, R.C. and K. Heston. 1982. Control of woody invasion of a kettle bog (Ohio). Restoration and Management Notes 1:18.
  6. Churchill, F.M., M. Baker, and H.S. Wright. 1976. Control of smooth sumac. Noxious Brush and Weed Control Research, Highlights 7:44.
  7. Evans, J. E. 1983a. Management practices for smooth sumac (<i>Rhus glabra</i>), poison ivy (<i>R. radicans</i>) and other sumac species: a literature review. Nat. Areas J. 3 (1) :16-26.
  8. Fears, R. D. 1980. Basal treatment of woody plants with Triclopyr. NCWCC Proc. 35:98-100.
  9. Hetzer, W. A., and R. L. McGregor. 1951. An ecological study of the prairie and pasture lands in Douglas and Franklin counties, Kansas. Kansas Acad. Sci. Trans. 54: 356-369.
  10. Hulbert, L.C. 1978. Fire effects on tallgrass or bluestem prairie vegetation. Presented at the Prairie Prescribed Burning Workshop, sponsored by USFWS, USFS, BLM, and North Dakota Chapter of the Wildlife Soc., April 25-28, 1978, Jamestown, ND.
  11. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  12. Launchbaugh, J. L. and C. E. Owensby. 1978. Kansas Rangelands - their management based on a half-century of research. Kansas Ag. Exp. Stat. Bull. 622. 56 pp.
  13. Little, E.L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). Agriculture Handbook No. 541. U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C. 375 pp.
  14. Martin, M.A. 1981. Control of smooth sumac by cutting in a mesic prairie (Wisconsin). Rest. and Mgmt. Notes 1:12-13.
  15. Waller, D. M. 1982. Effects of cutting and herbicide treatment on smooth sumac (Wisconsin). Rest. and Mgmt. Notes, 1(2):21.
  16. Whitney, G.G. 1980. The past and present vegetation of Brown's lake bog. Unpubl. manuscript. Ohio Biological Survey, Columbus. 35 pp.
  17. Wright, H.A. 1972. Shrub response to fire. pp. 204-217 in C.M. McKell, J.P. Blaisdell, J.R. Goodin, eds. Wildland Shrubs - Their Biology and Utilization. Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station. Technical Report INT-1. 494 pp.