Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) is in the Cashew Family family (Anacardiaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,817 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Nationally it blooms mainly from May to July, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Smooth Sumac: observations by month (U.S.)
About Smooth Sumac
Rhus glabra, the smooth sumac, (also known as white sumac, upland sumac, or scarlet sumac) is a species of sumac in the family Anacardiaceae, native to North America, from southern Quebec west to southern British Columbia in Canada, and south to northern Florida and Arizona in the United States and Tamaulipas in northeastern Mexico.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Smooth Sumac by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 278 | May | May–May |
| Massachusetts | 142 | July | Jul–Jul |
| New York | 126 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Ohio | 107 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Illinois | 105 | June | Jun–Jul |
| North Carolina | 94 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Virginia | 91 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Minnesota | 79 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Oklahoma | 62 | May | May–Jun |
| Michigan | 56 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Colorado | 45 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Kansas | 42 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Georgia | 41 | June | May–Jun |
| New Jersey | 40 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | 40 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Arkansas | 39 | June | May–Jun |
| Connecticut | 38 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Kentucky | 37 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Wisconsin | 37 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Maryland | 30 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Missouri | 27 | June | May–Jun |
| Alabama | 26 | May | May–Jun |
| Indiana | 26 | June | Jun–Jun |
| New Hampshire | 23 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Tennessee | 23 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Iowa | 19 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Rhode Island | 18 | July | Jul–Jul |
| New Mexico | 16 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Mississippi | 14 | June | Jun–Jun |
| South Carolina | 12 | May | May–Jun |
| South Dakota | 12 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Maine | 11 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Nebraska | 11 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Vermont | 11 | July | Jul–Jul |
| West Virginia | 10 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Washington | 9 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Arizona | 7 | June | Jun–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Cashew Family)
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Smooth Sumac?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from May to July.
Where is Smooth Sumac most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, Massachusetts, New York.