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Laurel Sumac
Malosma laurina
  
About Laurel Sumac (Malosma laurina) 23 Nurseries Carry This Plant Laurel sumac (Malosma laurina) is a large, rounded evergreen shrub or small tree that grows to 20 feet tall and as wide. In bloom, it is intensely aromatic. The lance-shaped leaves have reddish veins and stems. Plumes of small white flowers bloom at the tips of twigs in late spring and early summer. They resemble lilac blossoms. After flowering the tree bears whitish single-seeded fruit. This shrub is named "laurel" because the foliage is reminiscent of bay laurel but it is not in that plant family. It is a key plant in coastal sage scrub and chaparral, and the berries are appreciated by songbirds, especially warblers.

Laurel sumac grows in full sun and is very drought adapted once established, but is not cold tolerant and is not found in areas where freezing temperatures are normal. It is adaptable to many types of soil but prefers well drained soil, either sandy or rocky.
Plant Description
Plant Type
Plant Type
Shrub

Size
Size
10 - 20 ft tall
20 ft wide

Form
Form
Rounded

Growth Rate
Growth Rate
Fast

Dormancy
Dormancy
Evergreen

Fragrance
Fragrance
Fragrant - Pleasant

Flower Color
Flower Color
Cream, White

Flowering Season
Flowering Season
Winter, Spring

Wildlife Supported
 
Numerous insects and birds

 
Butterflies & moths hosted ( 9 confirmed , 9 likely * ) SHOW ALL

Landscaping Information
Sun
Sun
Full Sun

Moisture
Moisture
Extremely Low

Summer Irrigation
Summer Irrigation
Max 1x / month once established

Nurseries
Nurseries

Ease of Care
Ease of Care
Very Easy

Cold Tolerance
Cold Tolerance
Tolerates cold to 35° F

Soil Drainage
Soil Drainage
Fast

Soil Description
Soil Description
Typically prefers well drained soil, sandy or rocky. Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0

Common uses
Common uses
Bank Stabilization, Hedges, Bird Gardens

Companion Plants
Companion Plants
Many companions including Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), Manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.), Ceanothus spp., Coyote Bush (Baccharis pilularis), San Diego Viguiera (Bahiopsis laciniata), Barberry (Berberis spp.), Mountain Mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides or C. minutiflorus), Bushrue (Cneoridium dumosum), Summer Holly (Comarostaphylis diversifolia), Tree Poppy (Dendromecon rigida), California Brittlebush (Encelia californica), Goldenbush (Ericameria spp.), Yerba Santa (Eridoctyon sp.p), Buckwheat (Eriogonum sp.), Flannelbush (Fremontodendron sp.), Silk Tassel Bush (Garrya spp.), Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), Pitcher Sage (Lepechinia spp.), Bush Mallow (Malacothamnus spp.), Sticky Monkeyflower (Mimulus aurantiacus), Hollyleaf Cherry (Prunus ilicifolia), Oaks (Quercus spp.), Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia), Wild Currant (Ribes spp.), Sage (Salvia spp.), Woolly Bluecurls (Trichotema lanatum), Mission Manzanita (Xylococcus bicolor), and many others

Propagation
Propagation?
For propagating by seed: Hot water or oven heat of 200° to 240°F for 5 minutes. (Wright 1931).

Sunset Zones
Sunset Zones?
14, 15, 16, 17*, 19, 20*, 21*, 22*, 23*, 24*

Natural Setting
Site Type
Site Type
Slopes, canyons, bluffs, marine terraces and other areas where coastal sage scrub or chaparral are found

Climate
Climate
Annual Precipitation: 2.7" - 44.8", Summer Precipitation: 0.14" - 2.07", Coldest Month: 33.4" - 58.3", Hottest Month: 62.4" - 88.4", Humidity: 0.74" - 38.92", Elevation: -180" - 6508"

Alternative Names
Botanical Names: Rhus laurina
Common Names: Lentisco (spanish)


Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links:   Jepson eFlora Taxon Page  CalPhotos  Wikipedia  Calflora


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