fran m's Journal

My mam is mad about them, she calls them sumac trees ??  they turn colour at different stages, I suppose its just natures way. they seem pretty invasive my dad is always digging up new ones around the garden even though they only got one :O) 

Yea Gismo, I had one in my mam and dads garden before I was married and it suckered everywhere. My Mother was glad when the dog dug it up. I knew it as a sumac tree too. Fran, another way you can tell the spent flowers is the bud is much greasier than one that is ready to open.

Thanks guys, I could not remember the name Sumac.

Jacinta, right again on the greasier bud, as soon as I read the comment, I did notice it at the time but it did not sink in........... men and multi tasking and all that..

Gismo, the tree in the back never suckers, the one I removed from the front four years ago, is still sending up new plants, really persistant.

I would take a guess that your sumac is in a sheltered position as normally they are among the first to turn. I had never heard them called Rhus until now. Not sure which way round this might work, but sumac prefer dry ground, so I am guessing they would flourish better in that. Is there a difference between the front and back of your ground in terms of wetness?

Thanks for the tip, Fran and Jacinta about spent flowers.  I needed that piece of information badly. 

And me to,   Jacinta and Fran  thanks for the tip

The Rhus Typhina (aka Stag Horn Sumach) is always noticable this time of year but as Jacinta said it suckers everwhere (treat it like a bamboo!) The red ones you see may be on wetter ground Fran and thats why they may be redder sooner, or it may also be affected by the Ph of the soil being acid, neutral or alkeline?