The document provides descriptions of 6 plant species: 1. Rhus glabra (Smooth Sumac) - Shrub or small tree with compound leaves and red fruit clusters. 2. Rhus typhina (Staghorn Sumac) - Large open shrub or weedy tree with pubescent leaves and red fruit spikes. 3. Eleagnus angustifolia (Russian Olive) - Invasive shrub or small tree with silver foliage and yellow fruit. 4. Aesculus glabra (Ohio Buckeye) - Medium tree with palmately compound leaves and spiny nutlets. 5. Aesculus hippocastanum (Horsechest

1. Group 2a Rhus glabra Rhus typhina Eleagnus angustifolia Aesculus glabra Aesculus hippocastanum Ailanthus altissima Smooth Sumac Staghorn Sumac Russian Olive Ohio Buckeye Horsechestnut Tree of Heaven

2. Rhus glabra Smooth Sumac .A shrub or small tree with a short or multi-stemmed trunk and spreading branches 10 to 15' high with a comparable spread. It usually grows in colonies, as it suckers and develops in all directions from the mother plant, and prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Smooth sumac tolerates drought and its low water needs make it a good xeriscape plant

3. Rhus glabra Grown as a tree in Illinois

4. Leaf: Alternate, pinnately compound, 11 to 31 leaflets per leaf, leaves are 12 to 18 inches long. Leaflets are lanceolate, serrate and are 2 to 4 inches long. Leaflets are finely hairy below.

5. Flower Flower: Dioecious; with white petals, borne on upright panicles up to 8 inches long. Flowering June to August.

6. Fruit A drupe borne in panicles. Fruits are dark red, round and hairy , 1/8 inch long. The panicles droop when mature. Maturing September to October but persisting through winter.

7. Twig Stout, lacking hairs and often with a glaucous bloom. Buds are small, rounded and covered with light brown hairs, nearly encircled by leafscar.

8. Bark Bark: Brown-gray and smooth, developing scaly ridges with age

9. Fall Color

10. Rhus glabra ID no pubescence on stems leaf scar encircles buds greenish yellow flowers red fruit spikes alternate pinnately compound leaves stout stems

11. Rhus glabra liabilities Verticillium Wilt aphids, scales, rusts and mites suckers

12. Rhus glabra var. cismontana - Listed as a western variety of the species, this variant is supposedly more drought tolerant than the species. It is also smaller in all its features, reaching only 6' tall with smaller fruit and flower clusters.

13. Rhus typhina Staghorn Sumac large open shrub or weedy tree flat-topped crown colonizes and suckers 15' to 25' tall coarse texture fast growth rate

20. ID Rhus typhina greenish yellow flowers red fruit spikes alternate pinnately compound leaves c-shaped leaf scars extreme pubescence on leaves and branches stout stems concealed lenticels

21. Rhus typhina liabilities Verticillium Wilt aphids, scales, rusts and mites suckers

22. Comparison of Rhus

24. Eleagnus angustifolia Russian Olive Height 20’ Width 20’ Low water needs Rounded, irregular outline Silver green to gray green foliage Yellow fall color Fragrant greenish yellow flowers NOXIOUS WEED in Colorado

30. Eleagnus angustifolia ID small, sessile, solitary, conical buds suckers / invasive alternate leaf arrangement brown lenticels cover every part of plant silvery look to foliage, fruit and flowers yellow fruit

31. Eleagnus angustifolia liabilities thorns sometimes present leaf spot, canker, aphids Verticillium wilt INVASIVE WEED

32. Aesculus glabra Ohio Buckeye Height 35’ Spread 35’ Medium water NO salt tolerance Showy yellow flowers Leaves opposite , palmately compound 5 leaflets Brown 1-2” nutlets Fall color- pumpkin orange

39. Large terminal bud

40. Aesculus glabra ID large, palmately compound leaves typical of Aesculus fruits have short prickles A. hippocastanum have long prickles) large terminal bud typical of Aesculus ; non-resinous Droop and swoop branches Nice fall color

41. Liabilities dense shade limits grass growth underneath leaf scorch and leaf drop are problems when planted in too small an area leaf blotch, powdery mildew, canker; also an assortment of scales, mealybugs, caterpillars and borers this species and A. hippocastanum most likely to develop troubles of this genus can be messy (leaf, twig, fruit litter

42. Aesculus hippocastanum Horsechestnut

44. Very showy flowers blotches of red and yellow

48. ID Features large, resinous buds , reddish brown large, 7-leaflet, palmately-compound leaves leaves have impressed veins fruits are the most spiny of all Aesculus Avoid hot, dry locations

49. Liabilities fruits can be messy large and cannot be used at small residences leaf scorch and blotch can be serious problems and occur to some degree nearly every year powdery mildew young leaves and fruit are considered poisonous

50. Ailanthus altissima Tree of Heaven Height 40-60’ Spread 30-40’ No water needed after establishment Alternate, pinnately compound, 1-3 foot leaves, 11-41 leaflets , leaflets 2-6” Flowers yellow-green, bad odor Fruit: twisted samara 1-1 ½” long with seed in the center Twig – velvety hairs, red-brown pith

51. Ailanthus altissima Bark looks like the skin of a cantaloupe Form – short to medium sized tree with heavy branches Tends to droop Grows in clumps

58. Ailanthus altissima ID Features very large, pinnately compound leaves with many leaflets general acrid odor to plant (male flowers, leaves, twigs) twigs short, reddish-brown, velvety large leaf scars with small, two-scaled buds light brown, wide pith

59. Liabilities prolific fruiting, ready germination , adaptability to harsh sites and rapid growth rate make it a noxious weed in many places short-lived, in general male flowers, bruised twigs and crushed leaves have an acrid odor weak, softwood breaks easily in storms verticillium wilt

60. ID from Photographs

61. ID by Leaf

65. ID by Flower

69. ID by Fruit

75. ID by entire tree