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lemonade sumac Anacardiaceae Rhus integrifolia (Nutt.) W.H. Brewer & S. Watson Listen to the Latin Print a QR link to this factsheet symbol: RHIN2
Leaf: Alternate, simple, evergreen, elliptical, leathery, 2 to 2 1/2 inches long, entire to toothed (nearly spiny) margin, waxy, shiny green above, paler beneath, fragrant.
Flower: Small (1/4 inch across), 5 white to pink petals, occur in 2 to 3 inch clusters at the end s of the twigs, appearing in late winter and early spring.
Fruit: Elliptical, 1/2 inch across, reddish brown and fuzzy, in tight clusters at the ends of the twigs.
Twig: Moderately stout, reddish and fuzzy, small pointy buds.
Bark: Smooth and grayish brown, develops reddish splits and cracks, eventually coarsely scaly.
Form: Large thicket forming shrub reaching up to 10 feet with a spreading, sprawling.
Looks like: laurel sumac - sugar sumac - hollyleaf cherry

lemonade sumac leaf image
lemonade sumac flower image
lemonade sumac fruit image
lemonade sumac twig image
lemonade sumac bark image
lemonade sumac form image
lemonade sumac map image

Additional Range Information: Rhus integrifolia is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database - USDAFS Forest Products Lab
All material 2025 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information