What is this?

[bueller]

Can anyone ID this?

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[Native Hunter]

Staghorn Sumac (good plant) and Tree of Heaven (invasive) are hard to tell apart in a photo.

But, due to the prominent teeth in the leaves, I believe that is Staghorn Sumac.

The link below tells how to tell them apart.

http://www.nybg.org/files/scientists/rnaczi/Mistaken_Identity_Final.pdf

 

[wiscwhip]

I would agree, young staghorn sumac that has not bloomed yet. If it had the blooms it is easier to tell apart.

 

[bueller]

Staghorn Sumac (good plant) and Tree of Heaven (invasive) are hard to tell apart in a photo.

But, due to the prominent teeth in the leaves, I believe that is Staghorn Sumac.

The link below tells how to tell them apart.

http://www.nybg.org/files/scientists/rnaczi/Mistaken_Identity_Final.pdf

Thanks. I went back to investigate further. I think it may be smooth sumac. I didn't notice any hairs on the stems like the staghorn is supposed to have. Also found a couple flowers.

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[bueller]

I found this patch when planting plugs back in April. Every single one of them had been browsed down VERY hard. I just now got around to checking them out to try and ID them.

 

[Native Hunter]

Smooth, Staghorn and Winged Sumacs are all very similar. That patch you show in the picture will surprise you on how much it will grow in just a year or two. It will make great cover for a long time until it starts getting leggy. You can mow it when it gets too large and it will bounce right back. Great wildlife plant.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

On the flip side - Tree of Heaven ( ailanthus - sp. ?? ) - is a terrible invasive. Hack & squirt every one you find with either Garland or Tordon. If you cut one off, it will just sprout more trees from the root system. Those trees also spread seeds like wildfire. I was told by a forester here in Pa. that Tree of Heaven will eventually take over a woods and choke out native trees. VERY BAD PLANT !!!

 

[wiscwhip]

I have a love/hate relationship with sumac(especially staghorn, but the others are similar). It is an awesome plant to have around for thermal cover in the summer, deer will loaf in and around them and benefit from the shade they provide and breezes can still move air under the top growth. In winter, they are about as worthless as one could get. Once the leaves have dropped, you might as well have nothing but t-posts sticking out of the ground in that area. They will shade out most ground cover once they get thick and reach about 6'-8' tall. Summertime deer still love them at that stage, but in winter they are pretty worthless.

 

[bueller]

With the browsing that occurred over the winter I'd be surprised if these things ever get large enough to provide much cover. I also found some scattered in other areas yesterday and not a one is above waist high. The hardened off woody growth is a foot or two and the tops are all new sprouts this year.

 

[j-bird]

Yep - sumac of some sort. I have a patch of it on my place. You can control it with mowing if you want as it will sucker and spread with available sunlight. The "sorghum" like seed head gives it away.

 

[Native Hunter]

When I see sumacs coming up in a tree planting I'm very happy. I know that they won't be able to compete with climax trees (unless they shade tiny ones out early on) and they provide at least some cover (although as pointed out - not that great in the winter). Larger trees will eventually shade sumacs out.

I've also seen deer use big sumacs for rubbing.

Mowing big ones every few years won't hurt them and they will bounce right back, but mowing them frequently put the hurt on them.