Labrador Tea vs Smooth Sumac - TreeTime.ca

Labrador Tea vs Smooth Sumac

Rhus glabra

Rhododendron groenlandicum (Ledum groenlandicum)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Smooth Sumac
Labrador Tea

Smooth Sumac is an excellent shrub for both its ornamental appeal and tolerance of difficult planting sites. You'll love the attractive pyramidal spikes of hairy, red berries that emerge on female plants and the fern-like foliage that covers both male and female varieties.

Ensure you give Smooth Sumac enough space to spread out due to its high suckering nature. While not ideal for small, urban yards, this shrub will make a stunning border along a woodland edge or roadside.

Note:These plants typically reach maturity and make their sex easily known (females producing fruit) in their 3rd or 4th year of growth. Our seedlings are too young to identify their sex.

Labrador Tea is slow-growing evergreen shrub native to the boreal forests of Canada.

It thrives in wet, swampy conditions.

Labrador Tea has narrow, leathery, dark green leaves, topped by a cluster of white flowers in the spring. It is a perfect ornamental shrub for boggy, wet areas of your property.

Smooth Sumac Quick Facts

Labrador Tea Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 1a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: any
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: slightly toxic if ingested
Foliage: long, thin
Foliage: leathery, orange undersides, evergreen
Fall colour: scarlet red
Fall colour: rust orange
Flowers: white, fragrant
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: BC, SK, MB, ON
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE