Vinegar: plants, care & choice of variety

The vinegar tree is particularly noticeable late in the year with its magnificent autumn colors. With us you will learn everything about this special tree and how to cultivate it.

The velvety soft vinegar tree grows as a pioneer plant on roadsides and embankments, but can also be planted in the garden. However, you should definitely use a root barrier, since under certain conditions the vinegar tree multiplies strongly via root suckers. This article gives you an overview of different types of vinegar tree, tips for cultivating the small tree in the garden and in tubs, and how to use the fruits of the vinegar tree.

Vinegar tree: origin and properties

The vinegar tree (Rhus), also known as stag's butt sumac, belongs to the sumac family (Anacardiaceae). The name Rhus goes back to the Greek word "rhein", which means "to flow" and probably refers to the milky juice that escapes strongly in the event of injuries. There are about 200 species worldwide, distributed in the tropics, subtropics and temperate zones. The ornamental tree known to us Rhus typhina originally comes from the eastern part of North America.

The vinegar tree grows as a small tree with one shoot or as a large shrub with multiple shoots and is about 4 to 6 m, in exceptional cases even up to 10 m high and just as wide in old age. When young, the vinegar tree grows by 30 to 40 cm per year, but growth decreases sharply with age. The young shoots are brown and have velvety soft hairs, the bark is then dark brown and interspersed with milky sap.

The deciduous small tree forms thick, antler-like, branched shoots. The typical, up to 60 cm long, lanceolate, pinnate leaves of the vinegar tree attach to these. They are grass-green on top and light gray-green on the underside. After the summer, the magnificent autumn colors appear in bright color nuances from yellow-orange to scarlet red.

From June to July, the up to 20 cm long, yellow-green, upright flower panicles bloom at the end of the one-year-old wood. They provide plenty of nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators. After pollination, the dark red, velvety seeds form on the flask-shaped seed heads. These stay on the plant in winter and make it look very decorative. The taste of the vinegar tree fruits is sour - they were once added to vinegar to make it even more sour.

Harvesting and Using the Vinegar Tree Fruits

In late autumn from October, but also throughout the winter, the infructescence of the vinegar tree can be harvested and dried. The seeds of the vinegar tree are edible. The so-called "Indian Lemonade" has been made from it in the USA for a long time: a sour, reddish soft drink made from buckhorn fruit left in water, and Sugar. The dried seeds are tart and aromatic, they are used for seasoning. Vinegar spice from the seeds of Rhus coriaria is often used under the name "sumac" and in the zahtar spice mixture in oriental cuisine in salads, fish and meat dishes.

Is the vinegar tree poisonous?

Except for its ripe fruit, all parts of the vinegar tree are slightly poisonous. For herbivores such as horses, rabbits and the like, eating large amounts can therefore lead to stomach cramps. Even dogs that occasionally nibble on leaves cannot tolerate vinegar tree leaves or other plant parts. The latex that escapes from injuries is generally irritating to the skin, which is why gloves should be worn when moving or cutting vinegar trees.

The best vinegar tree species and varieties

There are different types and varieties of the vinegar tree, which differ significantly in leaf shape and growth height. We introduce you to the most important types of ornamental trees. All of these species and varieties are completely hardy to below -20 °C in our latitudes.

• Rhus typhina ˈDissectaˈ: Curved growing fern frond vinegar tree with finely pinnate and fern-like slit leaves. Can reach 4 m in height and up to twice as wide.
• Rhus typhina ˈTiger Eyesˈ: A fairly small cultivar of only 1.5 to 2 m in height. The autumn coloring covers all the colors of a tiger's eye - hence the name.
• Rhus glabra: Scarlet sumac with a growth height of 2 to 3 m and completely hairless shoots. Extremely ornamental in autumn with fiery orange-red leaves and wine-red infructescence.
• Rhus glabra ˈLaciniataˈ: Cut vinegar tree with comparatively weak growth and bright red autumn colours. This species and variety reaches a growth height and width of 2 to 3 m.

Note on the risk of confusion: At first glance, it is easy to confuse the vinegar tree with the tree of heaven (Ailantus altissima). The pinnate leaf shape, the velvety hairy shoots and the inflorescences are very similar. The tree of heaven, however, grows to a height of over 20 m and its infructescence is not a cob, but winged seeds, which are more reminiscent of maple (acer sp.) remember.

Plant vinegar tree

The ideal location for vinegar trees is sunny on permeable, moderately nutrient-rich and preferably slightly sandy soil. Otherwise, the ornamental tree is extremely undemanding, because it thrives on moderately dry and moist locations, regardless of whether they are acidic or alkaline, sandy or clayey.

The right time to plant vinegar trees is fall or early spring. From October to November, when the trees go into hibernation and therefore hardly any more water evaporates, new roots can form in peace. If you plant your vinegar tree in spring, you should water it regularly for the first few weeks until the tree has grown well. Plants or seeds can be bought from the vinegar tree, the planting of small trees is the most common.

First loosen the soil over a large area and not just at the future planting site. Now place your plants in a dug planting hole and, if necessary, add a little bit of mostly organic long-term fertilizer - like ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer - added. You can use a high-quality potting soil like ours for very sandy soils Plantura organic universal soil Mix. Fertilizing with organic fertilizers is particularly worthwhile when planting, as these provide long-term nutrients. Then fill the hole back up with the excavated soil and water the vinegar tree well. You should keep a minimum distance of 3 m to other plants so that the vinegar tree has enough space to spread.

Attention: Since the vinegar tree grows mainly after a pruning propagated by root suckers, we strongly recommend that you bury a root barrier when planting vinegar trees. This should be at least 60 cm deep and can effectively prevent the many runners of the vinegar tree from spreading.

Care of the vinegar tree

The vinegar tree is very easy to care for throughout the year. It should only be watered in extremely dry summers, especially in the first few years after planting. Later, however, the vinegar tree can easily cover its water requirements itself, even if it is dry for a little longer. Since the vinegar tree is a shallow root, you should absolutely avoid digging or chopping under the ornamental tree. This can quickly damage many roots. On poor soils, a small annual fertilizer application in the spring when the leaves begin to sprout is worthwhile.

Vinegar trees rarely have to be cut. Only if individual branches interfere with the location can they be removed. Otherwise, the deer butt sumac forms its funnel- or roof-shaped crown all by itself. Should you nevertheless need to put on the scissors, the right time is early spring - February to March. You should wear gloves because of the skin-irritating milky juice.

Tip: If the fleshy, flat-lying roots of the vinegar tree are injured, it encourages the formation of many root suckers. Therefore, you should definitely leave this area untouched, because the strong growth activity of the tree often persists for years. This can also result from cutting back too much.

Vinegar in the bucket

Only slow-growing varieties, such as Rhus typhina ˈTiger Eyesˈ, are suitable for cultivation in pots. First, choose a sufficiently large planter with a volume of at least 20 liters. Make sure that the water runs off well and that there is a drainage layer of coarse gravel, sand or expanded clay about 5 cm thick at the bottom of the container. Now plant the vinegar tree in a loose potting soil like ours Plantura organic universal soil. This does not require any peat at all and, thanks to its high compost content, stores sufficient moisture. In addition, important nutrients are already included, which promote and accelerate the growth of the vinegar tree. The ornamental tree, which grows quickly when young, needs a new, larger pot about every two years and should always be given fertilizer on this occasion. In the pot, nutrients are quickly used up due to the limited volume of soil and should then be refreshed.

Overwinter vinegar tree

Vinegar trees are extremely hardy trees and do not need any protection from the cold in the garden.
However, the situation is different with a vinegar tree in a pot, because there is a risk that the earth in the bucket, including the roots, will freeze through and the tree will die. The ornamental small tree should be overwintered in a cool garden shed, shed or in a sheltered carport. With the help of fleece on the outside and a thick layer of leaves or styrofoam under the pot of the tree, you can also insulate the vinegar tree in the pot well. The hibernation quarters should be bright and cool, the temperatures may also drop slightly below zero. With a low water supply, the vinegar tree gets through the winter so well. In the house or conservatory, on the other hand, it is much too warm for the vinegar tree to overwinter well.

Propagating vinegar tree: offshoots, seeds and Co

The vinegar tree can be propagated by root suckers, root cuttings, cuttings or from seeds:

To existing root suckers use a spade to pierce the vinegar tree offshoot generously all around and thus separate the connection to the mother plant. Now you can plant the new vinegar tree in another place. Propagation via offshoots is best done - just like planting - in autumn or early spring before the leaves sprout.

Also from sections of thick roots, the so-called root cuttings, new vinegar trees grow. Nurseries use this method to propagate their varieties. All you have to do is dig up a thick, fleshy root and place it in moist, well-drained potting soil. Over time, a new plant will grow from it.

cuttings of the vinegar tree are a gentle method of propagation. For this purpose, about 15 cm long, healthy and young shoots are cut off in winter and placed halfway into loose and permeable soil. For example, you can use our Plantura Organic Herb & Seed Soil use and additionally mix them with sand or perlite to further increase the aeration of the soil. In a bright, cool place with temperatures between 6 and 12°C, the cuttings will root within a few months. Always keep the soil slightly moist during this process.

Vinegar Seeds harvest in October when the red-brown cobs are well ripened. Cut off entire seed heads and dry them at home until the seeds fall off by themselves. Sowing vinegar trees is not an easy task. It requires a few weeks of patience, because the seeds are prevented from germinating by dormancy and need a cold stimulus to germinate. Here's how to do it:

1. Soak buckhorn seeds in hot water for 24 hours.
2. Mix with a moist sand-soil mixture in a ratio of 1:1.
3. Pour into a plastic bag and place in the fridge.
4. The seeds will keep in the fridge for about 4 weeks at 4-6°C.
5. Then sow the seeds in a nutrient-poor potting soil like ours Plantura Organic Herb & Seed Soil. The sowing depth is about 0.5 cm.
6. Set up the seed pot in a light and warm place at 15 – 20 °C.
7. Keep the seeds well moist for the next few weeks until germination and prick out as soon as the first true pair of leaves form after the cotyledons.

Tip: Some of the seeds of the vinegar tree already begin to germinate in the bag in the refrigerator. In this case, they should be taken out directly and put into potting soil.

Remove vinegar tree: How to get rid of it

Birds like to spread vinegar trees through their seeds in the garden - but the large shrub, which is so pretty in autumn, is not always welcome. Because a new plant can develop from each of the fleshy roots, it is not enough to cut down the tree or only partially dig it up. The roots should be removed as completely as possible.
The root suckers of the vinegar tree can quickly become a nuisance in the garden, even if you would like to keep the tree. In order to avoid trouble, you should be careful not to cut the vinegar tree too much and not to injure the roots. In this way, the root suckers do not develop in the first place. Using a deep root barrier when planting is also a good measure to avoid problems with the offshoots later. Once they are there, regular mowing is a good way to get rid of the still young shoots. Larger and already slightly woody plants should be cut off generously with a spade, removing as many roots as possible.

Ornamental trees and shrubs with bright autumn colors quickly draw attention to themselves in any garden. Discover more species in our special article Shrubs and trees with intense autumn colors.