Rhus integrifolia

Plant Characteristics

Habit		shrub
Lifespan:	⌛	perennial
Origin:	✈	California, Baja
Poisonous:	☠	some have toxins

Cultivation

Water:	◍	dry
Features:	✓	fire resistant
USDA Zones:		on"on" is not a number. to on"on" is not a number.

Scientific Names

Anacardiaceae >

Rhus >

integrifolia >

Rhus integrifolia, also known as Lemonade Berry, Lemonadeberry, or Lemonade Sumac is a shrub to small tree that is one to eight meters in height, with a sprawling form. It is native to Southwestern and Pacific coastal California from Santa Barbara County to western Riverside County with its range extending to north-central Pacific coastal Baja California and some offshore islands like Cedros. It is a member of the chaparral plant community and is often found in canyons and on north-facing slopes below elevations of 900 meters. It often hybridizes with Rhus ovata.

The Lemonade Berry's leaves are simple (unusual in a genus where most species are trifoliate), alternating, evergreen and leathery, ranging from two to four centimeters wide on reddish twigs; length of leaves is five to seven centimeters. Leaves are toothed with a waxy appearance above and a paler tone below. The flowers which appear from February to May are small, clustered closely together, and may be either bisexual or pistillate.

These fragrant flowers exhibit radial symmetry with five green sepals, five white to rosy-pink petals, and five stamens. The small flowers are only six millimeters across. The ovary is superior and usually has a single ovule; although in pistillate flowers, the stamens are small and infertile. The mature fruit of Rhus integrifolia is sticky, reddish, covered with hairs, and about seven to ten millimeters in diameter. The elliptical fruit presents tight clusters at the very ends of twigs.

Young plants manifest smooth reddish bark, while more mature individuals have cracked, even scaly, grayish bark with the smooth red bark displayed underneath. Twigs are rather stout and flexible, and reddish bud ends are diminutive and pointed. There is often a multi-furcate branching structure from the base of the plant. A mature plant is large and thicket-like with a sprawling arrangement.

Read about Rhus integrifolia in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Rhus integrifolia, Brew. & Wats. Shrub or small tree, occasionally to 30 ft.: lvs. short-stalked, oval, obtuse or sometimes acute, entire or spinosely toothed, glabrous, 1-2 in. long, very rarely 3-foliolate: panicles hoary- pubescent, 1-3 in. long; fls. white or pinkish: fr. ovate, flattened, l/2in. long, dark red. Spring. Calif. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Cultivation

The Lemonade Berry plant is found on dry slopes in coastal areas of southern California and especially northern Baja California; however, one colony has even been observed as far north as Santa Cruz County. In addition to occurring on dry slopes and in canyon settings, the species sometimes is found on bluffs.

This plant thrives on well drained soils and endures heat and windy conditions well. The species tolerates sandy as well as medium loam soils, and it can even thrive in nutrient deficient soil. This plant tolerates mildly acid to mildly alkaline soils, but it cannot grow in shady conditions. Propagation is by seed or by runners; in the case of seed propagation bee pollination is required of vicinity female trees growing near male trees. Lemonade Berry grows very well in coastal exposures.

Gallery

If you have a photo of this plant, please upload it! Plus, there may be other photos available for you to add.

• 

  photo 1

• 

  photo 2

• 

  photo 3

References

• Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

• w:Rhus integrifolia. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Rhus integrifolia QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)