Anacardiaceae (Rhus)
Rhus (trilobata)
Anacardiaceae
Sumac family
Rhus
trilobata
Nutt.
Skunkbush Sumac
Madrean Archipelago
Broadly distributed throughout the western North America, from 1,000-3000m. Found in dry rocky sites on slopes, canyons, open prairies, and roadsides. Intolerant of high water tables and flooding (Nesom n.d.). Common in early successional communities and recently burned areas, but is a climax species in shrubland/grassland communities (Elmore and Janish 1976). The berries, bark, twigs, and foliage all offer forage for various wildlife species (Elmore and Janish 1976)
Plants
Seed
Container (plug)
Collect berries from individuals when berry color is a deep red to brown. Leave bag open to increase air circulation after collection to avoid excess moisture and molding. Let berries dry out on racks for a week or so before attempting cleaning. If not dry enough to remove skin easily, leave them on rack, otherwise proceed.
Once the berries are sufficiently dry, use a mano to gently roll the berries across a metate until the flesh and skin is removed. In this process be careful not to grind too hard, as this could damage the seed. Lastly place all loose debris and seed in a turkey pan and winnow away debris using a blow dryer on low. Skunkbush seeds remain viable for up to 5 years when stored properly in cool, dry storage 3-5°C (Anderson, 2004).
Pretreatment methods vary widely in the literature, but most sources agree that in greenhouse settings, skunkbush requires scarification followed by stratification to germinate. (Bonner and Karrfalt 2008, Anderson 2004). Studies report successful scarification using concentrated sulfuric acid for 1.5-2 hours, although information on specific acid concentration is not provided (Bonner and Karrfalt 2008, Heit 1970). Following stratification should take place in 3-5°C for one month or slightly longer for maximum germination rates (Heit 1970). Using this method, germination rates may be as high as 93% for viable treated seed compared with 5% for untreated seed (Heit 1970). Information on other methods of scarification is lacking. Currently, BR staff are conducting germination tests for this species involving a combination of stratification and scarification methods. Updates will follow.
Anderson, Michelle D. “Rhus trilobata.” Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory, 2004. Web. www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/rhutri/all.html [2017, January 26]. Borderlands Restoration Network (2018). BRN Native Plant Materials Program Database. Unpublished Raw Data. Bonner, Franklin T. and Robert P. Karrfalt, eds.The woody plant seed manual, USDA Forest Service Agricultural Handbook No. 727. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 2008. Elmore, Francis H., and Jeanne R. Janish. Shrubs and Trees of the Southwest Uplands. Tucson, AZ: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 1976. Print. Heit, C. E. "Germinative characteristics and optimum testing methods for twelve western shrub species." Proceedings of the Association of Official Seed Analysts. The Association of Official Seed Analysts, 1970. Kearney, Thomas H., and Robert H. Peebles. Arizona Flora. Berkeley: U of California, 1960. Print. Nesom, Guy. "Plant Guide for Rhus Trilobata Nutt." USDA NRCS Plant Guide. USDA-National Resources Conservation Service. BONAP, North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Web. https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_rhtr.pdf [2017, January 17].
Allen-Cantú, Juniper; Claverie, Francesca ; McNelis, Perin; Mount, Allegra. 2018. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Rhus trilobata Nutt. Plants Borderlands Restoration Patagonia, Arizona. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/02). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.
