Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low' (Fragrant Sumac)

Rhus aromatica 'Gro Low' is a cultivar of Rhus aromatica, also called fragrant sumac, noted for its dwarf, groundcover growth habit. Compared to the straight species, which typically reaches four to six feet in height, and occasionally reaching 10', the 'Gro Low' cultivar definitely grows a lot lower, only reaching one to two feet tall. The main attractiion for the 'Gro Low' cultivar over its parent species, however, lies in its potential for groundcover uses, with a single plant sometimes spreading to up to eight feet across the ground!

Beyond its creeping, groundcover uses, Rhus aromatica is also attractive, and smells great. In early spring, tiny yellow female flowers emerge from new growth before the set of deep green, glossy, multi-lobed foliage which turns stunning shades of red in the fall. 'Gro Low' can also produce male catkins, which are unremarkable, but are capable of pollinating female flowers and producing large, hairy, berry-like fruits, which resemble larger versions of those found on other sumacs, like Rhus typhina. Butterflies and other pollinators are attracted to flowers, birds to the fruit, and gardeners to the spicy, piney smell produced by rubbing or crushing the plant's leaves.

Thanks to this cultivar's compact size when grown in pots, 'Gro Low' makes for an excellent, somewhat showy groundcover plant that can adapt to a variety of soil types, making it a great choice for embankment plantings and slope stabilization projects.