Tree or Weed? Identifying a Fern-Like Volunteer in Philadelphia

You have a 2-foot volunteer with fern-like leaves, gold/red fall color, fuzzy brown bark, and runner roots. Neighbor has a 6-foot version. In Philadelphia, this is likely staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) or tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)—but the "fern-like" description points to sumac.

Key ID Features

Weed or Keeper?

• Staghorn sumac: Native, wildlife value, ornamental, but spreads aggressively via runners. Manageable in lawn with mowing; hard to eradicate once established.
• Tree-of-heaven: Invasive, allelopathic (kills nearby plants), hosts spotted lanternfly. Remove immediately.

Next Steps

1. Check leaflet edges: serrate = sumac; smooth with basal glands = tree-of-heaven.
2. Crush a leaf: tree-of-heaven smells like burnt peanut butter; sumac has no strong odor.
3. If sumac: decide if you want a colony. If not, cut and paint stump with glyphosate/triclopyr in late summer.
4. If tree-of-heaven: cut + herbicide immediately. Monitor for sprouts years.

Search "staghorn sumac vs tree of heaven identification" for photos. Your description (fern-like, fuzzy bark, runner roots, brilliant fall color) screams staghorn sumac—a native with attitude.