It spreads by producing abundant seeds as well as by spreading underground by suckers. The African sumac is a medium size evergreen tree growing with a low branching habit, 20-30 ft. tall, and a round canopy of equal or greater width. Their seeds will grow wherever there is available water. Best for dry, informal, naturalized areas where it can be allowed to spread and form colonies. The dead or dying trees will still keep trying to sprout offspring from any remaining trunk or traveling root systems. Scientific: Searsia lancea (formerly Rhus lancea) Common: African sumac, willow rhus, black karee (indigenuous common name) Family: Anacardiaceae Origin: Southern Africa in Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Lesotho. Leaves lack stipules. Additional Common Names. DNA research has confirmed difference between European Rhus and our Searsia. African Sumac. Spreading cooling shade throughout desert, inland, and coastal regions, Rhus lancea is a South African native that has become extremely popular for use on medians, lawns, parking lots and parks. African Sumac --Rhus lancea. Scientific Name: Rhus lancea Synonym: Searsia lancea Common Names: African Sumac, Karee, Western Karee, Willow Rhus Plant Characteristics. And unfortunately some nurseries still sell this species: African sumac (Rhus lancea) is a noxious invasive tree that is starting to creep into our flora. Angiosperm or Gymnosperm: The African Sumac is an angiosperm. By Peter L. Warren It produces abundant seeds and also spreads by suckers and reportedly competes with native plants for water. Identification. Cons of African Sumac Trees. Height: 20 - 30 feet. Previous Names: Rhus lancea, Rhus viminalis. Resin canals are present and woolly stellate hairs cover all young parts. With large, established invasive trees it may be good to first plant a native tree successor, get it established, and once it is of good size, then remove the invasive, allowing the native successor to take its place. The Arizona Native Plant Society lists African Sumac as an invasive weed. Rhus lancea. Searsia lancea is a low branching, usually single-stemmed, tree which has a dense, rounded, wide-spread canopy of glossy, olive-green foliage.It has a graceful, weeping form, dark, fissured bark and a contorted trunk The Karee can be used as a protective canopy for frost sensitive and shade loving plants and works well as a wind, noise or privacy barrier. The following plants are commonly used in southeastern Arizona landscapes and have proven to be invasive into wildlands. The African sumac is a medium size evergreen tree growing with a low branching habit, 20-30 ft. tall, and a round canopy of equal or greater width. Effective when massed on slopes for erosion control or in hard-to-cover areas with poor… Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. To have something that could cause physical and personal harm.. that’s something the state or county should be ameliorating quickly. Generally tolerant of urban conditions. They can grow to a height and width of 30-40 feet. Common names: Karee, Bastard willow, Karoo tree, taaibos, Rooikaree. I always wanted a real tree in that corner but couldn’t afford it. Unfortunately, they are invasive and can spread easily in urban areas. We investigated the potential of an invasive alien tree to transform vegetation by quantifying the relative abilities of the alien tree Schinus molle and dominant native trees Acacia tortilis and Rhus lancea to compete for light when growing in association within a South African semi-arid savanna. Scientific: Searsia lancea (formerly Rhus lancea) Common: African sumac, willow rhus, black karee (indigenuous common name) Family: Anacardiaceae Origin: Southern Africa in Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Lesotho. Besides producing abundant seeds, it also spreads by suckers and competes with native plants for water. Rhus Lancea, also known as Karee, is a drought-resistant perennial native to South Africa and also found in dry parts of the United States. Their seeds will grow wherever there is available water. A Rhus lancea African Sumac can be trained to a single trunk or allowed to grow into a multi-trunk tree with a look that resembles an olive tree. They can grow to a height and width of 30 to 40 feet. Some people report allergies to the pollen so that is another concern. Some trees are valuable, not for one spectacular characteristic, but because they are so utterly reliable doing the mundane job we expect of them. Searsia was named after Paul B. Sears (1891-1990) who was head of the Yale School of Botany, and lancea refers to the lance shaped leaflets.. African sumac (Rhus lancea) is a common plant here. It is a relative of poison ivy, and causes some people to have serious allergic reactions, either respiratory or as a skin rash. Most of the species grown in southern Africa, belonging to the genus Rhus, have been placed in Searsia.In southern Africa there are about 111 species of Searsia. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Sumacs include about 35 flowering woody North American species in the Rhus genus within the Anacardiaceae family, which also includes cashews, mangos, and pistachios. : Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum): Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon): Giant reed (Arundo donax): Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima): African sumac (Rhus lancea) So now it is strong enough to support itself, but I really don’t feel like giving it a tree status. not good pam. Cutting it down will not kill it, but will encourage spreading through the roots. The Bonide Stump & Vine Killer will manage this. Excellent tree for a small yard or on dry slopes or banks. History. I have been thinking about how these invasive plants are like crime. Texas Root Rot. Rhus Lancea is an invasive species that is taking over midtown Tucson. Native to southern Africa; very drought tolerant once established. Pietro De Gradenigo, 21st Great-grandfather. Please keep your comments polite and on-topic. Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Inconspicuous Flowers. Natural Habitat: This common shade tree is quite invasive and can now be found growing wild in washes and along canyon streams in the deserts around Tucson. In North America, where it is naturalized, it is known as African sumac and willow rhus. Thanks, Brigitte. African Sumac is prized for its naturally rounded form, attractive bark and deer resistance as well as for its ability to grow inland or on the coast. 386. It was brought here as a landscape plant, but quickly got out of control. The dense growth supports hot fires that can kill saguaros and key plants of the Sonoran Desert, as well as threatening homes and businesses. Introduced, Invasive, and Noxious Plants : Threatened & Endangered: Wetland Indicator Status : 50,000+ Plant Images ... Rhus lancea L. f. – African sumac Subordinate Taxa. Q: I have a love/hate relationship with this “weed.” For about 10 years I cut it off at the ground. Aside from the fact that displaces native plants, and forms solid stands of itself, as a landscape plant it’s just a crappy tree. African Sumac. When I was in New Orleans I learnt that in some Bayous there are water hyacinth which are as well invasive since they are from Latin America. It is one of the most common trees on the Highveld and in the Bushveld in South Africa, but not found in the Lowveld. This map identifies those states that list this species on their invasive species list or law. Special to the Arizona Daily Star, Garden Sage - Contain ground squirrels; deadly mistletoe; trim a 'sport', Garden Sage - Saving it for hummers; spider mites devastate; mildew wilts bush, Garden Sage - Deadly necrosis; transplant stress; plant reverts to past, Garden Sage - Some grasses OK; whitefly problem; transplanting agaves, Garden Sage - controlling spider mites; trimming citrus; flea beetles. Natural Habitat: This common shade tree is quite invasive and can now be found growing wild in washes and along canyon streams in the deserts around Tucson. But thinking of it again I see that you are right and it is comparable to social problems and has to be solved “from the root” which is different from patching up the symptoms. This map identifies those states that list this species on their invasive species list or law. This plant has no children Legal Status. Leaves are palmately divided into 3 narrow leaflets, each 3-5 … Continue reading "African sumac" Growth Rate: 24 Inches per Year. Its narrow […] As you know, persistence is required to keep them down once they start growing. Invasive botanical species are like untended social problems. This non-regulatory list was constructed through the applica-tion of a regionally developed assessment protocol, Criteria for Categorizing Invasive Non-Native Plants that Threaten Wildlands, released in February of … If you are interested in only growing native plants due to their greater ability to adapt to local climates, you may want to avoid an ... Fruit Drop. Change ). Identification Angiosperm or Gymnosperm: The African Sumac is an angiosperm. If there is irrigation water, rhus lancea will be very likely to sprout and grow, taking nutrients and moisture from the native or landscape plants.