Anacardiaceae

Laurel sumac

Malosma laurina (Nutt.) Nutt. ex Abrams

Family: Anacardiaceae
Genus: Malosma

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Laurel sumac: Malosma laurina — Laurel sumac, twig and leaves. This ladybug (probably genus Hippodamia , possibly Hippodamia variegata ) is on the leaf of a Laurel sumac. Suc — Photo: Justin Taylor from Encinitas, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (2)

Chinese: 月桂漆
English: Laurel sumac

Synonyms

Lithraea laurina (Nutt.) Walp.
Rhus laurina Nutt.
Toxicodendron laurinum (Nutt.) Kuntze

Characteristics

Growth habit: Shrub, Tree
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: native

Photos

Photo: Justin Taylor from Encinitas, USA, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Jonathan Coffin from Inglewood, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: stonebird from inglewood, california, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: John Rusk from Berkeley, CA, United States of America, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.