What type of Sumac is this?

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by Chris Morris, Jul 22, 2014.

  1. Chris Morris

    Chris Morris Active Member 10 Years

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    Hi, I believe this is a Sumac. It is growing in a yard on the south shore of Deer Lake in Burnaby. There is another Sumac next to it that I believe is Staghorn Sumac. The Staghorn Sumac has clusters of red berries right now and the leaves are much darker green and very shiny.

    This one has leaves about the same size, but are more brownish green and not shiny at all. It also has white flowers and some of them are turning more of a brown color right now. Ten days ago all the flowers were white. The branches seem smooth where the Staghorn Sumac has very velvety branches. Both Sumacs are about 15-20 feet tall.

    I was thinking it was a Smooth Sumac, but looked up the description and it dosent seem to fit.
    I only managed to get two pictures before my camera battery died. My wife asked me to get some pictures so she could see it last minute before I went there and didn't have time to charge the battery.

    Thank you.
     

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  2. Tyrlych

    Tyrlych Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    Sorbaria sorbifolia, in Rosaceae family.
     
  3. Chris Morris

    Chris Morris Active Member 10 Years

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    Thank you very much. Looks so similar to a Sumac.
     
  4. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    No fooling. How do you distinguish those two (this and Smooth sumac)? I figured out a group of Sorbaria at UBCBG only because I had a list of what to expect to find in that area.
     
  5. Chris Morris

    Chris Morris Active Member 10 Years

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    Mainly because I looked up pictures of smooth sumac on the internet and didn't see any with fluffy white flowers, but they did have the clusters of red berries similar to staghorn sumac.
    My wife has been looking for smooth sumac for our yard for a couple of years now, but we have yet to see any in nurseries or in the wild.
     

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