'Creel's Quintet' Shining Sumac is a compact, landscape-worthy variety of this tough native plant.  It has the beautiful burgundy-red coloration of the species, but it reaches a maximum height of only 8 to 10'.  Its habit is suckering, so the clump will get wide eventually.  Since it is a female form, the fruit it produces is an important food source in the winter for both birds and mammals.  Mike Creel of Lexington, SC introduced it, and the "Quintet" refers to its set of 5 glossy leaflets per leaf, as opposed to the 9 or more produced on the species Rhus copallina.  In the summer, the creamy yellow flower spikes add to the beauty of this dry site tolerant plant.

• Category: Woody Ornamentals
• Alternate Cultivar: Creel's Quintet
• Hardiness Zone: 4
• Height: 8 Feet
• Spread: 8 Feet
• Bloom Color: Yellow