Height: to 15’ + Width: 10 to 20’ Light Needs: sun to part shade Water: dry to medium Flower color: greenish Bloom time: July to August
In nature, this species tends to be a multi-stemmed shrub that spreads by suckers to form a colony. By removing suckers and trimming, it can be trained to be a small tree. The divided leaves have "wings" on the midrib between leaflets that give the plant its common name and distinguish it from other plants in our area. These leaves turn bright red in autumn. Plants tend to bear attractive clusters of either pollen-bearing flowers or seed-producing flowers. One of each type is required for fruit production. This plant is best suited for naturalistic settings but, with work, can be a beautiful plant for a more formal setting. A wide variety of insect pollinators visit the flowers. The plant is a host for caterpillars of red-banded hairstreak butterflies and luna moths. Its fruits are eaten by birds and small mammals. Some people make tea with the acidic fruits. Deer and rabbits will eat this plant. Protect it while it is young.
