How to Grow Sumac (Rhus Aromatica "Gro-Low")

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Gro-Low sumac is a woody shrub that grows only 2 feet high, forming a high ground cover for sunny locations. The leaves turn bright colors of orange and red before dropping in the fall. Sumac thrives in USDA zones 3 to 9.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Balanced Organic Fertilizer
Bypass Pruners
Compost Bins
Garden Trowels
Gardening Gloves
Pruning Saws

Step1

Look for plants at nurseries in spring and summer, year-round in warmer climates.

Step2

Choose healthy-looking plants with signs of new leaves and flower buds. Buy Gro-Low sumac in 1-gallon containers.

Step3

Choose a site with full sun and well-drained soil. It can tolerate partial shade.

Step4

Dig a hole for each plant no deeper than the soil in which the plant was growing. Dig planting holes three feet apart.

Step5

Add a light application of organic fertilizer to each planting hole before setting the plants in.

Step6

Mulch around - but not on top of - the plants with 3 inches of organic compost.

Step7

Water until the soil is completely moist weekly the first summer only. Sumac doesn't need extra water once it is established.

Step8

Prune out selected stems (for size or if they are damaged) using by-pass pruners or a pruning saw. Be sure to cut the stem off all the way back to where it joins another stem.