Shrubs - Sumac

Shrubs - Sumac

The Flameleaf Sumac, Rhus copallina, is a shrub or occasionally a small tree. When left alone it will often form thickets. It is widespread in open uplands along fence rows and in waste places. It is a prolific sprouter after a fire.Leaves have a winged axis and turn flame red to dark purple in the fall, hence the common name. Fruit matures in late summer remaining attached into winter and is eaten by many species of birds and white-tailed deer. White-tailed deer also use it as a browse.

Fragrant Sumac

The Fragrant Sumac, Rhus aromatica, is a small shrub, most commonly encountered on limestone uplands, occasionally on acidic sites. It occasionally reaches tree size. Fragrant sumac is a pioneer species, establishing rapidly from seed after heavy disturbance, particularly fire. Like other sumacs, it forms clonal clumps, but not as extensively as the other species. Native Americans used the bark of all sumacs as an astringent, and leaves and bark can be used for tanning leather, due to the high tannin content.

Smooth Sumac

The Smooth Sumac, Rhus glabra, is a shade-intolerant pioneer on heavily disturbed sites, and is particularly common along road and railroad rights-of-way. Usually in clumps of several to many individuals in a clone, rarely more than 25 stems in one clone. Sumac will often be found within the first year following fire. Fruit is important as winter bird food. This is an important deer browse species. It is suited to group plantings in small to large yards. It is especially useful in attracting birds to naturalized yards.

Staghorn Sumac

The Staghorn Sumac, Rhus typhina, is the most well-known sumac. Its branches resemble deer antlers. Staghorn sumac reaches 25 feet in height at maturity with an equal spread. It is not as tolerant of poorly drained soils as other sumacs. The large dark crimson - or rarely orange to yellow - pinnate leaves of this sumac have 15-31 narrow, leaflets that can be up to (6") long. The large clumps form bright splashes of color along forest margins, road banks, and fencerows and in old fields over much of the Appalachians.

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ACORN HILL

Acorn Hill is the name we’ve given to our home. Situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, it is so named for the thousands of acorns produced by the red oaks growing here. We spent years looking for just the right spot. Some of the most important criteria were plenty of room to garden and space for our menagerie of dogs and cats to safely run and play. And we found it here.

We have undertaken several big outdoor projects and have many more planned. I have been taking pictures and making notes, which in essence constitute a journal of these projects. I thought it might be interesting and perhaps helpful to share our progress. So in addition to my Garden Journal where I routinely note what’s happening around the garden, we’ve added Acorn Hill Garden Projects to our site and intend to update it as we complete specific projects. The Acorn Hill Garden Projects detail specific projects from start to finish with notes on what we learned in the process.

When we first came to Acorn Hill, one of the first things I realized was that I had more great ideas than I had time, energy, or money. I had so many things that I hoped to accomplish the first year, but luckily we didn’t get very much done. I say luckily because when starting a garden in a new place it is critical to observe, for at least one full cycle of the seasons, how the seasons change the existing landscape, how the views from your house differ in summer and winter, and how you and your family use your outdoor space. So lesson number one was be patient. Something I’ve been known to have trouble with.

The projects listed below are things we’ve done so far, and things we intend to complete in the near future. As I write the story of each, I’ll include my thoughts on what we’ve done right and what we’ve learned from the things that haven’t gone as planned. I hope you find these stories useful and, if nothing else, amusing. We try to have fun at whatever we do, otherwise, why do it!

So look for these stories coming soon to Acorn Hill Garden Projects:

A year of observation, four seasons at Acorn Hill
A path through the wilderness, making the upper and lower trails
The long and short of it, creating a view from the porch
Keeping the hounds at bay, do-it-yourself garden fencing
High on a hill, creating the hilltop garden

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