Smooth Sumac vs Arrowwood - TreeTime.ca

Smooth Sumac vs Arrowwood

Rhus glabra

Viburnum dentatum

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Smooth Sumac
Arrowwood

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.

Arrowwood is a cold hardy, reliable, and vigorous shrub that can easily grow on difficult sites. Featuring an upright, rounded, and multi-stemmed form, this shrub produces creamy white flowers against a backdrop of deep green, serrated foliage.

The flowers give way to dark, blue berries that will attract wildlife to your yard. Depending on the plant, Arrowwood's striking fall color can range from yellow, red to reddish-purple.

Many use Arrowwood for naturalization or mass planting projects but, more commonly, you'll see this simple yet elegant shrub as a shrub border or planted on its own.

Smooth Sumac Quick Facts

Arrowwood Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 2.1 m (7 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: medium
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: high
Maintenance: medium


Foliage: long, thin
Fall colour: scarlet red
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: BC, SK, MB, ON
Native to: ON, QC, NS, NB, PE