Sumacs do have a reputation for suckering, so if you don't have room to let it spread, consider a well-behaved dwarf such as 'Tiger Eyes' staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina 'Tiger Eyes'). It's a four-season plant with interesting bark in winter; deeply cut chartreuse leaves in spring (set off by velvety, pinkish-purple stems); yellow leaves in summer that won't scorch in full sun; and glorious orange, gold and scarlet color in autumn. It's a good container plant, too, and its antler-like branching gives it a dramatic silhouette. Plus, little to no suckering means it plays well with others. It's resistant to pests and disease, and requires little pruning.
Purple-leaved plants and evergreens make good companions for 'Tiger Eyes.' Use in a shrub border, as a specimen, in containers or in woodlands.
If you have the space, though, you might consider the Chinese sumac (Rhus chinensis), which grows to 10-15 feet tall. Designer Lisa Russo considers it a good plant to mark a walkway's change of direction; it can be trained to create a flat, far-reaching canopy over the path, with bright red fruit, then orange-red foliage, in the fall. The cultivar 'September Beauty' also boasts stunning, huge panicles of cream-colored flowers.
– HGNW staff
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