Rhus Typhina Tiger Eyes Stags Horn Sumach

Rhus Typhina Tiger Eyes (Stag's  Horn Sumach) is a compact deciduous tree with a glorious display of changing foliage and red fruit in autumn. It’s an RHS AGM winner and a superb coastal plant. Tiger Eyes is a smaller, dwarf version of the Rhus Typhina genus. 

Rhus Typhina is native to eastern North America, southeastern Canada and the Appalachian Mountains where it’s often called Stag’s Horn Sumach. The variety  Tiger Eyes is an especially pretty dwarf cultivar. It has finely divided foliage that emerges green in spring, turns golden yellow, then orange, and finally red in autumn. In spring, its green foliage is joined by greenish-white flowers and dense clusters of deep red fruits mature in autumn. The flowers and fruits are attractive, but it’s the ever-changing foliage that people love Rhus Typhina for, not least the stunning autumn colour. 

Tiger Eyes is synonymous with Rhus Typhina Bailtiger and makes a pretty specimen tree in compact or coastal gardens. It is suckering, but not as vigorous as other Rhus varieties.

Height And Spread of Rhus Typhina Tiger Eyes
Stag’s Horn Sumach Tiger Eyes reaches a maximum height of 2.5 metres and spreads 4 metres in 10-20 years

How Hardy Is Rhus Typhina Tiger Eyes
It’s a hardy tree in freezing temperatures, full sun, and in coastal sprays if its roots are well drained.

How To Use Rhus Typhina Tiger Eyes
An excellent coastal plant, and a stunning display tree for front gardens, Tiger Eyes brings instant impact to any space.
Its dwarf size suits courtyards, small urban gardens, flower borders, and large well-watered and fed patio or balcony containers. 

How To Care For Rhus Typhina Tiger Eyes
Choose a spot in full sun because this tree likes a lot of sunshine. Shade-grow specimens won’t produce good autumnal colour.
This tree is suckering, so remove suckers as and when they appear. If size isn’t an issue you can leave Tiger Eyes to grow, but if it’s in a container or it needs reducing, cut it back to about a metre in autumn or winter.
Apply a thick layer of mulch to its roots in spring and water it well until you see new growth.