| Author | L. | |
| Distribution | Mostly in the Mountains, as well as several Piedmont foothills ranges. Generally does not occur at low elevations in the Piedmont, though a low-elevation population was discovered and photographed in Mecklenburg County in 2020.
This is a Northern species ranging from southern Canada south only to NJ, through the Appalachians to northern GA and AL, and MS.
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| Abundance | Reasonably common to common in the Mountains, but scarce in the upper Piedmont. | |
| Habitat | As with several other tall sumac species, this species favors sunny habitats: old fields, thickets, wooded borders, fencerows, and barrens. It is not found in the shade of forests. |
| Phenology | Blooms in May and June, and fruits from June to September. | |
| Identification | This is a deciduous, very tall shrub to small tree, often growing to 15-20 feet and rarely to 30 feet tall. It has numerous (15-31) leaflets, each somewhat lanceolate and slightly serrate, and about 3-4 inches long. The leaflets are whitened and hairy beneath. However, the species is easily separated from other sumacs by its very tomentose stems and twigs; other sumacs are essentially glabrous on the stems. The red drupes are also very fuzzy. This species grows considerably taller than R. glabra and R. copallinum, as well. | |
| Taxonomic Comments | The species has often been named as Rhus hirta in the past, but is universally accepted to be named as R. typhina now.
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| Other Common Name(s) | None | |
| State Rank | S4 | |
| Global Rank | G5 | |
| State Status | | |
| US Status | | |
| USACE-agcp | | |
| USACE-emp | | |
