Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Anacardiaceae

Genus:

Rhus

Species:

Rhus michauxii

USDA Symbol:

RHMI11

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Subshrub

Height:

60 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

may,jun,jul

Bloom Colors:

yellow, green

Ground Cover:

Yes

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fall Color:

red, orange

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes following fire. Historically maintained by periodic burning in sandhill ecosystems.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to sandy, open woodlands and pine barrens

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Warm then cold/moist stratification (double dormancy) — 90–120 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

30–90 days

Notes:

Seeds have hard seed coat requiring scarification, followed by warm then cold stratification. Germination can be erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI