2. Rhus typhina L. (N-Am.) – A rare but increasing relic of cultivation or garden throw-out. Already recorded in an abandoned garden in Soiron in 1898. However, most records are from the past decades. Much planted in private gardens or in public parks, off-ramps, … and then readily escaping as a result of strong clonal growth. In no time occupying a vast surface and with tendencies to invasive behaviour. Sometimes also in rather remote places, obviously from transported rhizomes (for instance on levelled soil or along rivers). Rhus typhina is also sometimes found on coal mine heaps, for instance in Mons (terril du PASS) or in Gilly (terril l’Epine). The exact origin of these populations is uncertain. At least in Gilly a small population of Rhus typhina (ca. 7 young plants in 2010) is obviously not planted.
The behaviour in Belgium of Rhus typhina surely requires additional research. Questions that should be addressed include: how does Rhus reproduce in Belgium?, does it invade natural habitats?, what is its current distribution pattern? (there seems to be an increasing number of populations along rivers),… More information (including additional references) on the potential invasive behaviour of Rhus typhina in Belgium is available at: http://ias.biodiversity.be/species/show/113.
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Selected literature:
Duvigneaud J. (1979) La basse vallée du Bocq (province de Namur, Belgique). Nouvelles notes floristiques. Nat. Mosana 32: 175-184.
Gandhi K.N. (2016) Staghorn Sumac: Rhus typhina or R. hirta (Anacardiaceae). Rhodora 118(974): 232-234. [available online at: http://www.rhodorajournal.org/doi/pdf/10.3119/15-37]
Pfeiffenschneider M., Gräser P. & Ries C. (2014) Distribution of selected neophytes along the national railway network of Luxembourg. Bulletin de la Société des naturalistes Luxembourgeois 115: 95-100. [available online at: http://www.snl.lu/publications/bulletin/SNL_2014_115_095_100.pdf]
Pfeiffenschneider M., Gräser P. & Ries C. (2014) Distribution of selected neophytes along the main rivers of Luxembourg. Bulletin de la Société des naturalists Luxembourgeois 115: 101-108. [available online at: http://www.snl.lu/publications/bulletin/SNL_2014_115_101_108.pdf]
Walter E. (1994) Der Essigbaum (Rhus typhina L.) in Oberfranken - nicht nur in Gärten. Ber. Naturforsch. Ges. Bamberg 69: 27-34.