Winged Sumac

Rhus copallinum

Keystone

Native to West Virginia. 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?

Rhus copallinum — leaf photograph — Alexander Krings; Howell, Krings and Braham (2016) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: Mid spring
Fruiting season: Summer to fall

Recorded in 6 West Virginia counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 104 animals.

White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-winged Crossbill
Loxia leucoptera
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Willow Flycatcher
Empidonax traillii
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Nyctanassa violacea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-throated Warbler
Dendroica dominica
Birds. 1 shared habitat

Widespread birds also seen here (38)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

49CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · 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 purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
Argyrotaenia quercifolianaYellow-Winged Oak Leafroller Moth, Lined Oak Leafroller
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper

Show all 49

Caloptilia belfragellaDogwood Caloptilia
Caloptilia rhoifoliellaSumac Leafblotch Miner Moth, Sumac Caloptilia
Calycopis cecropsRed-Banded Hairstreak, Cecrops Hairstreak
Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Cleora sublunariaDouble-Lined Gray
Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
Datana perspicuaSpotted Dantana
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
Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
Marathyssa basalisLight Marathyssa
Marathyssa inficitaDark Marathyssa
Marathyssa pulcherrimusBeautiful Eutelia
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
Nemoria rubrifrontariaRed-Fronted Emerald
Olethreutes appendiceumServiceberry Leafroller
Olethreutes permundanaRaspberry Leafroller
Paectes oculatrixEyed 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
Spiramater lutraDarling Mamestra, Splashed Arches, Otter Spiramater, Otter Arches
Telphusa longifasciellaY-Backed Telphusa
Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Paralobesia rhoifructana

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

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

17BirdsRecorded eating Rhus in West Virginia

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes West Virginia, most records first.

Ruffed GrouseFruit. 46 diet records
Wild TurkeyFruit. 10 diet records
American RobinFruit. 6 diet records
Hermit ThrushFruit and seeds. 4 diet records
Northern Bobwhite4 diet records
VeeryFruit and seeds. 4 diet records
Eastern BluebirdFruit. 3 diet records
Swainson's ThrushFruit and seeds. 3 diet records
White-eyed Vireo2 diet records
Blue-headed Vireo1 diet record

Show all 17

Eastern KingbirdFruit. 1 diet record
European Starling1 diet record
Evening Grosbeak1 diet record
Northern CardinalFruit. 1 diet record
Northern Mockingbird1 diet record
Pine Grosbeak1 diet record
Red-winged Blackbird1 diet record

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. 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

Birds that eat Rhus 17

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

Ruffed Grouse
Bonasa umbellus
Fruit. 46 diet records
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Fruit. 10 diet records
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Fruit. 6 diet records
Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus
Fruit and seeds. 4 diet records
Northern Bobwhite
Colinus virginianus
4 diet records
Veery
Catharus fuscescens
Fruit and seeds. 4 diet records
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
Fruit. 3 diet records
Swainson's Thrush
Catharus ustulatus
Fruit and seeds. 3 diet records
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
2 diet records
Blue-headed Vireo
Vireo solitarius
1 diet record
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Fruit. 1 diet record
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
1 diet record
Evening Grosbeak
Coccothraustes vespertinus
1 diet record
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Fruit. 1 diet record
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
1 diet record
Pine Grosbeak
Pinicola enucleator
1 diet record
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
1 diet record

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

West Virginia rank	S5
Global rank	G5
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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.

How to check your spot

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.

Winged Sumac

At a glance

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Birds that eat Rhus 17

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Growing cautions

Sources

More Rhus