Winged Sumac
Rhus copallinum
90
Keystone
Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?
Profile 88%
- Height
- About 8 feet
- Spread
- 10–20 feet
- Light
- Shade, Partial sun
- Soil moisture
- Low
Space about 15 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count
Will it fit your yard?
At a glance
- Life cycle
- Perennial
- Leaves
- Deciduous
- Bloom
- Mid spring
- Fruiting season
- Summer to fall
Recorded in 64 Alabama counties.
Also found with this plant
Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 126 animals.
- Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
- Northern ParulaParula americana
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Orange-crowned WarblerVermivora celata
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatus
- Prairie WarblerDendroica discolor
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinus
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Rusty BlackbirdEuphagus carolinus
- Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivacea
- Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
- Song SparrowMelospiza melodia
- SoraPorzana carolina
- Summer TanagerPiranga rubra
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
- White-eyed VireoVireo griseus
- White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis
- White-winged DoveZenaida asiatica
Ecological relationships
Who uses this plant?
52CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL
Genus host records with ranges including AL · Rhus
- Actias lunaLuna Moth
- Citheronia regalisRegal Moth
- Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
- Acronicta longaLong-Winged Dagger, Darkish Dagger
- Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
- Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
- Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
- Archips georgianaFireworm, Georgia Leafroller
- Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
- Argyrotaenia quercifolianaYellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth, Lined Oak Leafroller
Show all 52
- Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
- Caloptilia belfragellaDogwood Caloptilia
- Caloptilia rhoifoliellaSumac Leafblotch Miner Moth, Sumac Caloptilia
- Calycopis cecropsRed-Banded Hairstreak, Cecrops Hairstreak
- Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
- Chloropteryx tepperariaAngled-Winged Emerald
- Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
- Cleora sublunariaDouble-Lined Gray
- Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
- Datana perspicuaSpotted Dantana
- Datana robustaRobust Datana
- Derrima stellataPink Star
- Dichorda iridariaShowy Emerald
- Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
- Episimus argutanaSumac Leaftier
- Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
- Holcocera chalcofrontellaSumac Holcocera
- Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
- Iridopsis defectariaBrown-Shaded Gray, Willow Looper
- Marathyssa basalisLight Marathyssa
- Marathyssa inficitaDark Marathyssa
- Marathyssa pulcherrimusBeautiful Eutelia
- Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
- Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
- Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
- Nemoria bifilataWhite-Barred Emerald
- Nemoria rubrifrontariaRed-Fronted Emerald
- Olethreutes permundanaRaspberry Leafroller
- Paectes oculatrixEyed Paectes
- Paectes pygmaeaPygmy Paectes
- Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
- Pleuroprucha insulsariaCommon Tan Wave
- Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
- Pseudochelaria walsinghamiWalsingham's Moth
- Pyrrhia ciliscaAmerican Bordered Sallow, Noble Sun Moth
- Sciota subfuscellaStriped Sumac Leafroller
- Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
- Telphusa longifasciellaY-Backed Telphusa
- Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
- Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
- Paralobesia rhoifructana
- Stigmella intermedia
52BeesSoutheastern regional records
Southeastern regional records · Rhus
Individual names are not available yet.
Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
32BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Rhus
- Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
- Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
- Agelaius phoeniceusRed-winged Blackbird
- Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
- Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
- Callipepla gambeliiGambel's Quail
- Cardinalis cardinalisNorthern Cardinal
- Catharus fuscescensVeery
- Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
- Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
Show all 32
- Catharus ustulatusSwainson's Thrush
- Centrocercus urophasianusGreater Sage-Grouse
- Coccothraustes vespertinusEvening Grosbeak
- Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
- Ixoreus naeviusVaried Thrush
- Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
- Mimus polyglottosNorthern Mockingbird
- Myadestes townsendiTownsend's Solitaire
- Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail
- Patagioenas fasciataBand-tailed Pigeon
- Pheucticus melanocephalusBlack-headed Grosbeak
- Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
- Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
- Sialia currucoidesMountain Bluebird
- Sialia mexicanaWestern Bluebird
- Sturnus vulgarisEuropean Starling
- Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
- Vireo gilvusWarbling Vireo
- Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
- Vireo huttoniHutton's Vireo
- Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
- Vireo solitariusBlue-headed Vireo
Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening
1AntsRecorded seed interactions
- Pogonomyrmex badius
Pogonomyrmex badius: Seed predation.
Flies 11
- Archytas analis
- Calythea albicincta
- Lucilia sylvarum
- Musca domestica
- Phorantha purpurascens
- Physocephala tibialis
- Senotainia trilineata
- Stratiomyia meigenii
- Trichophora ruficauda
- Trichopoda pennipes
Show all 11
- Zodion nanellum
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
Other wasps 18
- Ammobia ichneumonea
- Ammobia pennsylvanica
- Anacrabro ocellatus
- Cerceris fumipennis
- Eucerceris zonatus
- Isodontia apicalis
- Leionotus arvensis
- Leionotus dorsalis
- Lindenius errans
- Philanthus punctatus
Show all 18
- Philanthus ventilabris
- Poecilopompilus navus
- Polistes rubiginosus
- Polistes variatus
- Sphex gracilis
- Sphex nigricans
- Sphex vulgaris
- Tachytes distinctus
Flower visits · Carlinville, Illinois, USA
No records yet · Beetles · Adult butterflies / moths · Other insects
Growing and identification
Plant details
- Family
- Anacardiaceae
- Hardiness
- Zones 4–9
- Flower color
- Yellow
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Growth habit
- Spreads by rhizomes
- Foliage color
- Green
- Fruit begins
- Summer
- Fruit ends
- Fall
What its natural habitat tells you
Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.
Growing sources and scope
- Bloom · “Mid spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Flower color · “Yellow” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Growth habit · “Spreads by rhizomes” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Hardiness · “Zones 4–9” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
- Height · “About 8 feet” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Leaves · “Deciduous” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Leaf retention · “Deciduous” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
- Life cycle · “Perennial” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- Light · “Shade (minimum requirement); Partial sun (minimum requirement)” · Virginia DCR Piedmont (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ) · Virginia regional planting chart; sunlight is a minimum requirement, moisture is low/moderate/high
- Soil · “Low” · Virginia DCR Piedmont (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder differ) · Virginia regional planting chart; sunlight is a minimum requirement, moisture is low/moderate/high
- Spread · “10–20 feet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Also known as
Rhus copallina
Conservation status
| Alabama rank | SNR |
|---|---|
| Global rank | G5 |
| AL status | Not verified |
| Federal status | Not verified |
In your garden
Will it fit your yard?
Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.
Choose a county to begin.
Growing cautions
- Spreads by rhizomes. USDA PLANTS lists its growth form as rhizomatous. USDA PLANTS
For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.
Sources
- Alabama Plant Atlas
- USDA PLANTS
- Vascular Plants of North Carolina (NC Natural Heritage Program)
- Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
- Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Smith, Bachelder, Russell, Morales, Mosher & Seltmann 2024, Bee-Specialization-Modeling v0.6.1 (specialist host table compiled from J. Fowler's pollen specialist bee lists), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
- Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
- Narango, Tallamy & Shropshire 2020, Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species, Nature Communications