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pruning fragrant sumac #909125

Asked July 09, 2025, 5:28 PM EDT

I have three rhus aromatics "Gro Low" fragrant sumac that are in sun/part shade that were planted three years ago. They are sprawling and overgrowing the space. I need advice how to prune them. As you can see from the photos, there are bare spots on the branches at the base of each plant. Should I cut some branches down to the base? Thanks for your help.

Montgomery County Maryland

Expert Response

You should be able to prune it down heavily (close to the base) and wait for regrowth to fill back in, yes. If the plants are in a semi-shady exposure instead of full sun, that may result in the growth again becoming leggy (having a bare interior/base) over time as it matures, so you may wind-up back where you started, but the process could be repeated as long as the plant has enough vigor to rebound each time. The best time of year to prune would be late winter or early spring; do not prune in late summer or autumn, as that might detriment winter hardiness.

Miri
Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied July 10, 2025, 10:35 AM EDT

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