The second sumac I wish to share is the 'Lo-Gro Sumac', or Rhus aromatica. This shrub came to my attention when I attended a Perennial Plant Society meeting where the speaker spoke of deer resistant shrubs. This was one she recommended. Not long after I heard this shrub mentioned, Paul James, the Gardener Guy also strongly recommended this shrub. I stumbled across it while shopping at the Post Exchange and purchased it. The cool thing about this shrub besides the fact it is deer resistant, is that it grows in sun or shade and has year round interest. It is not one of those shrubs that blooms once in the spring then disappears until the next spring, like forsythia.
Lo-Gro has a nice spring bloom with attractive leaves, berries grow throughout the season and are attractive to birds, then in the fall the shrub will turn a brilliant red (or so I have read), then the low sprawling habit gives the plant a good form during the winter when it is devoid of leaves. The shrub will grow about 3-4 high and up to 8 feet wide. The leaves are somewhat citrusy smelling and that is probably why deer don't like nibbling it all that much.
So what do you think about sumacs and the sumac attack? Is this enough information to persuade you to try one or two?
in the garden....
