Staghorn sumac is an open, spreading shrub or small tree that typically grows 15 to 25 feet tall, and though individual plants are narrow, colonies can spread 20 to 30 feet wide. It is particularly noted for the reddish-brown hairs that cover the young branchlets in somewhat the same way that velvet covers the horns of a stag, hence the common name. It is also noted for its ornamental fruiting clusters and excellent fall foliage color. Large, compound, odd-pinnate leaves (each to 24 inches long) are bright green above during the growing season and glaucous beneath. Leaves turn attractive shades of yellow/orange/red in autumn. Each leaf has 13-27 toothed, lanceolate-oblong leaflets (each to 2 to 5 inches long). Tiny, greenish-yellow flowers bloom in terminal cone-shaped panicles in summer (June-July), with male and female flower cones primarily occurring on separate plants (dioecious). Female flowers produce showy pyramidal fruiting clusters (to 8 inches long), with each cluster containing numerous hairy, berry-like drupes which ripen bright red in autumn, gradually turning dark red as they persist through much of the winter. Fruit is attractive to wildlife. Wood is a warm grey to soft brown and is smooth. Use in naturally-styled landscapes, and where it has room to spread.
Grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of a wide range of soils except for those that are poorly drained. Generally tolerant of urban conditions. Tolerates shallow, rocky soils. Drought tolerant. This is a suckering shrub that will form thickets via self-seeding and root suckering; plan accordingly.