Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Anacardiaceae

Genus:

Rhus

Species:

Rhus ovata

USDA Symbol:

RHOV

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Shrub , Tree

Height:

450 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun,Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

white, pink, red

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Butterflies & Moths:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)

Caterpillars:

★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

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

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, bees, butterflies, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from root crown following fire. Well-adapted to California chaparral fire regimes.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rocky, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

thrives in arid, rocky hillsides

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Germination Time:

14–60 days

Notes:

Seed germination can be erratic; some sources recommend hot water treatment or acid scarification to improve rates.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI