Staghorn sumac
A North American ornamental small tree whose greenish-yellow panicles in June and July give good nectar; it spreads fast by root suckers and is invasive in Europe.
- Nectar
- Good
- Pollen
- Medium
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 3-8 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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Staghorn sumac is planted as an ornamental for its velvety young branches and its compound leaves, which turn scarlet in autumn. It is dioecious: male plants form dense greenish-yellow panicles, female plants reddish ones. Both flower types are heavily visited by honey bees and are a good nectar source during flowering.
Flowering
It flowers for about three to four weeks in June and July; nectar secretion increases on warm, humid days. This period can fall in the gap between spring flowers and late-summer sources.
Honey and pollen
In Europe it has no honey of its own; it contributes to mixed summer honeys. In North America, sumac species are counted among the important summer sources in many regions.
Note for the beekeeper
It forms large colonies by root suckers and is very hard to eradicate. In many central European countries it is monitored as an invasive species; it should not be planted in natural areas, along forest edges or in dry grasslands. As a native alternative for bees in Turkey, Sicilian sumac (Rhus coriaria) can be chosen.