Staghorn Sumac vs American Black Currant - TreeTime.ca

Staghorn Sumac vs American Black Currant

Ribes americanum

Rhus typhina

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

American Black Currant
Staghorn Sumac

American Black Currant is a native deciduous shrub known for its clusters of small black berries that ripen in mid-to-late summer. The berries are edible and have long been used for fresh eating, preserves, and baking. They provide food for birds and mammals, and their fragrant spring flowers attract bees and other pollinators.

American Black Currant’s foliage serves as a host plant for butterfly species such as the Green Comma and Gray Comma, and its dense branching offers cover for wildlife. The shrub has traditionally been planted in shelterbelts, riparian buffers, and restoration projects.

Staghorn Sumac is a popular ornamental shrub with red velvet like antlers that produce seeds that provide nice winter interest for landscapers and gardeners.

This low-maintenance plant is a great addition to any garden it is also used in shelterbelts.

American Black Currant Quick Facts

Staghorn Sumac Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 4a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: upright to spreading, thicket-forming
Spreading: seeds - medium
Suckering: low
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: gold to red
Flowers: small, yellowish bell-shaped, in clusters
Flowers: small, green-yellow
Bloom time: spring to early summer
Fruit: small, red
Berries: black, edible
Flavor: tart, variable
Harvest: mid to late summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB
Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, PE
Other Names: eastern black currant, wild black currant
Other Names: stags horn sumach, velvet sumac