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Rhus ovata

sugar bush

Anacardiaceae

Southern California, Arizona, and Baja California

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 8–10

Overview

Rhus ovata is an evergreen shrub growing 8-12 feet (2.4-3.7 m) tall and wide, with a dense, rounded form and reddish young stems. The leathery, ovate leaves are 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) long, dark green, and often folded along the midrib, a shape that helps reduce water loss. From late winter into spring it bears dense clusters of small pinkish-white flowers at the branch tips, opening from reddish buds. The flowers are followed by small, flattened reddish fruits coated in a sticky, sugary film, which gives the plant its common name and feeds birds and other wildlife. It is native to the chaparral and foothills of southern California, Arizona, and Baja California, where it grows on dry slopes below about 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Deep-rooted and drought-tolerant, it is adapted to fire and resprouts from a woody base after burning. It tolerates heat, drought, and poor soils but is sensitive to hard frost and to wet, poorly drained ground. Its size and dense habit suit large spaces rather than small gardens.

Native Range

Native to southern California, Arizona, and Baja California, Mexico. It grows in chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and dry foothill slopes, often below 4,000 feet (1,200 m).

Suggested Uses

Used as a large evergreen screen, informal hedge, or background shrub in dry gardens and on slopes in mild climates. It serves in fire-resilient and water-wise landscapes and in habitat plantings. The dense form and drought tolerance suit erosion control on sunny banks.

How to Identify

Recognized by leathery, dark green, ovate leaves 2-3 inches (5-8 cm) long that are often folded upward along the midrib, on reddish stems. Dense clusters of pinkish-white flowers open from red buds at the branch tips in late winter and spring. The folded evergreen leaves and sticky reddish fruit separate it from the related lemonade berry, which has flatter leaves, and from toxic poison oak.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8' - 12'

Width/Spread8' - 12'

Reaches mature size in approximately 5 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring

Blooms from late winter into spring, generally March to May, with tight terminal clusters of small pinkish-white flowers emerging from red buds. The bloom lasts several weeks. Sticky reddish fruits ripen through summer and persist on the shrub.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 8.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam sand rocky clay

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun on well-drained sandy, loamy, rocky, or clay soils, including alkaline ground, with a pH of about 6.0-8.0. It is drought-tolerant once established and needs little or no summer water, which can otherwise cause root rot in heavy soils. It is suited to USDA zones 8-10 and is damaged by hard frost below about 15F (-9C). Established plants resprout after fire and tolerate hard pruning. It grows at a moderate rate and reaches full size in a few years. Overhead irrigation and poor drainage encourage fungal disease.

Pruning

Pruning is done after flowering to shape the shrub or to keep it within bounds, since it tolerates fairly hard cutting. Older or fire-damaged plants resprout from the base when cut back. Dead or crossing branches can be removed at any time.

✓ Toxicity

Non-toxic