Stats

Lifespan

Up to 100 yrs

Size

Large

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Mediterranean chaparral

Range

North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Toxins

Status

Common

About

Laurel sumac is a large chaparral shrub native to coastal Southern California and Baja California, recognizable by its leathery leaves that fold upward along the midrib like a taco shell. A member of the cashew family, it resprouts vigorously from its root crown after wildfires, making it a keystone species of California's fire-adapted landscapes.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Sapindales

Family

Anacardiaceae

Genus

Malosma

Species

Malosma laurina