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Detailed Explanation of Staghorn Sumac Planting Methods and Technical Points

Growing Techniques By Emily Carter 0 views
Trees

Staghorn sumac, also known as deerhorn sumac, staghorn sumac and Canadian sumac, is a deciduous small tree of the genus Rhus in the Anacardiaceae family. Its fruit clusters are bright red, with flat spherical fruits bearing red prickly hairs that cluster tightly into a torch-like shape. It is cultivated more extensively in the provinces (regions) north of the Yellow River basin, mainly used for barren hill greening and also as a landscape forest species for saline-alkali wasteland.

Propagation methods:


1. Seed propagation: Staghorn sumac seeds are relatively small with a hard seed coat, and the outside is covered with red needle-like hairs. Before sowing, rub with alkaline water to remove the red fuzz outside the seed coat and the waxy layer on the seed coat. Then soak in 85°C hot water for 5 minutes, remove and mix with moist sand for burial, place indoors at 20°C for germination, and sprinkle an appropriate amount of water depending on evaporation. When sprouts appear after 20 days, sowing can begin, with a sowing rate of 7 to 10 jin per mu and a row spacing of 35 cm. After 20 days they basically all emerge, and the seedlings reach 80 cm in height and 1 to 1.5 cm in ground diameter in the same year.

2. Root cutting propagation: Staghorn sumac has many lateral roots that extend horizontally. Each year when seedlings are lifted from the nursery, select lateral roots with a thickness of more than 1 cm and cut them into 20 cm long root segments. According to the polarity of the root, with the top pointing upward and the stem end downward, at a plant spacing of 40×30 cm, insert them vertically into the prepared nursery bed. After insertion, cover the top of the root segments with 2 to 4 cm of thin soil, and spray water frequently to keep moist. Generally, adventitious buds first develop, break through the soil and grow new shoots, and then roots form and the plant survives. The seedlings reach more than 1 m in height in the same year.

3. Root sucker propagation: Around staghorn sumac that is more than two years old, many root sucker seedlings often sprout. They can be retained according to row spacing, taking care to remove root suckers and excess lateral branches, and cultivate them into strong seedlings with good tree form. The seedlings can reach 1.5 to 2 m in height in the same year. They can be transplanted in mid-March of the second year after propagation.

Cultivation techniques:



1. Water and fertilizer management: After the staghorn sumac seedlings emerge, water once every 10 days, and after 1 month water once every half month. Generally topdress 2 times, mainly with urea, 5-7.5 kg/mu, combined with watering. Staghorn sumac seedlings in the same year are relatively tender and prone to freezing damage in winter. From the end of July onward, rub the seedlings and stop watering, fertilizing and loosening the soil. For overly vigorous branches and leaves, knock off a portion to promote lignification.

2. Thinning and filling in seedlings: When staghorn sumac seedlings are about 3 cm tall in April to May (3 to 4 true leaves), carry out thinning and filling in of seedlings, doing so 2 to 3 times. When the seedlings are 10 cm tall, finalize the spacing at 30×30 cm.

3. Loosening soil and removing weeds: After the seedlings have all emerged, based on soil compaction and weed conditions, loosen the soil and weed once every 10 to 15 days, and stop at the end of July. Staghorn sumac has few pests and diseases; pay attention to timely control.

4. Timely transplanting: Staghorn sumac transplanting should be carried out after leaf fall in late autumn and before sprouting the following spring. When planting, the seedlings should be upright and the roots spread out, and after planting, large seedlings should be supported with stakes. For afforestation on dry and barren mountainous land, stem cutting planting is required, cutting flat at 18 to 20 cm above the ground surface. After lifting the seedlings, cut off overly long main and lateral roots, retaining 25 cm in length, which makes survival easier.

Pruning and shaping

In garden applications, staghorn sumac often has two tree forms: one is small tree form, and the other is shrub form.
Pruning method for small tree form:
(1) Select seedlings with vigorous growth and strong trunk tendency, remove all their lateral branches, and retain only the main trunk. In late autumn, cut back the main trunk, and the next year select a vigorously growing new branch below the cut as the trunk extension branch, and remove all other new branches.
(2) During growth, promptly remove lateral branches on the trunk extension branch, then in late autumn cut back the main trunk again according to the method of the previous year, and in the following spring select and retain strong branches as the trunk extension branch according to the method of the second year.
(3) When the main trunk has grown to a certain height, begin cultivating main branches. The method is to cut back the branch tip, then select and retain three or four vigorously growing, evenly distributed branches as main branches. After the main branches grow to a certain length, pinch them to promote lateral branches.
(4) In late autumn, cut back the lateral branches to promote secondary lateral branches. In this way the basic tree form is formed, and in subsequent maintenance it is only necessary to promptly prune tangled branches, dead branches and drooping branches. 
Pruning method for shrub form:
For pruning shrub-form staghorn sumac, the main principle is to maintain an open tree body. During cultivation and maintenance, promptly remove tangled branches, dead branches, overly dense branches and drooping branches, and also promptly cut off surrounding root sucker seedlings.


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