Jen's Gardyn 2009

Doesn't your rhus look lovely with the sunlight behind it?

It's a wonderful foliage tree, I love the way the sun catches the leaves. :o)

Hope it's not Toxicodendron succedaneum - that grows like a weed over here and it's considered THE most dangerous plant in my country? It's classed as a noxious weed in both New South Wales and South Australia and anyone in those states caught growing this are fined thousands of dollars! Studies over here have also shown that around 98% of the population develop allergies after a certain period of contact with this plant!

Rhus. Sumach
Rhus, - derived from the same root as Rosa, rhudd, in Celtic, signifying red, on account of the color of the fruit.

Some of the species are valuable in the arts, for tanning, dyeing, varnish, etc. The Sumachs are much cultivated for their singularity, and for the beauty of the foliage, especially in autumn, when it assumes the richest colors. "The most elegant species cannot be safely admitted into a garden, on account of their poisonous qualities."
OMG Bernieh NO !!!
Sounds awful, is that what we know as poison ivy?
This is the one in the photo...
Rhus typhina. - Stag's-Horn Sumach. - This is one of the safe species, and highly ornamental in the shrubbery, on account of its elegant compound leaves and bunches of rich scarlet berries. . The shrub, which grows to the height of twelve to twenty feet, is ugly shaped, its branches being rather naked and crooked. It must, therefore, be planted with other shrubs, so as to conceal, as much as possible, the crooked, irregular stems and branches. There is no particular beauty in the flowers; but in July and August the heads of berries begin to assume a rich scarlet color, afterwards turning to purple, and remain conspicuous and beautiful into winter; while in autumn the leaves begin early to turn, and become of a red color, with various shades of yellow, orange, and purple. The ends of the branches, from their irregularity and the abundant down with which they are covered, resemble the young horns of the stag, whence their name.

Ah ... Rhus typhina is also classed as a weed here ... it pops up everywhere.

The other rhus I was speaking about is a tree of the Sumac family ... but not poison ivy (Rhus radicans) ... it's common name is Wax Tree. Here's a link to show what it looks like ... http://www.hornsby.nsw.gov.au/uploads/documents/Rhus_tree.pdf

See what you mean, sounds a nasty customer!
Mines just a little enthusiastic with the runners but it's planted in heavy clay soil and in our climate it's quite well behaved.
The side shoots hoe off easily, so no probs with it so far. A lot of people class it as a nuisance here, but it's so beautiful I think it's worth the effort
I wonder what they'd be like grown as a pot plant, I like to experiment!:o)

This looks so beautiful Jen, you are obviously clever in your planting buddies:-) My rhus typhina (think dissectum) was the devils own job to get rid of. Many men tried and failed. I could have been like a princess in a fairy story. You know the sort, Whoever shall rid the princess of this evil tree shall have her hand in marriage. Unfortunately I'm a bit long in the tooth so didn't try that one lol. It was quite well behaved 'til I thought it a good idea to cut it back somewhat, then it took revenge. It took years to eradicate, so treat yours with respect:-)

Forgot to say that it grew quite happily in a pot for years before I foolishly planted it in the wrong place where it almost took over my small front garden:-)

For all that....it does look great in your garden Jen.

Hi Bornagain, thanks for that, I'll definately try some in a pot then.
Don't worry about it getting out of control here though, we have heavy clay soil and it's really well behaved.
It's also completely underplanted with many ferns and mulched with chipped bark etc so the shoots find it difficult to find light I think.
I've pruned it to look like a palm tree when it's in leaf, same method that you use for making 'Standard's' ( or lollipops as I call them), and it gets a good chop back in early Spring.
Dotty...If I'm honest, I'd really like these all around the garden! ;o)))

I've always loved the look of them too Jen, maybe I had a rogue one that went wild once released from its pot lol, or maybe dissectum is worse??:-)

What soil have you got Bornagain? I feel that our clay helps to keep it in check somewhat.

Clayish Jen, but front garden not so much possibly and we don't get actual lumps of clay so you could be right:-)

Maybe a combination of the soil and also the way that I've underplanted it so densely, you can't even see the soil!