The evergreen African sumac grows at a slow to moderate rate to 20 to 30 feet tall and wide. It naturally assumes a graceful, open, spreading, multi-stem habit, reminiscent of an olive.

African sumac is considered somewhere between mesic and xeric in its water use. It’s not a true desert tree, but it can handle both a desert landscape and non-desert as well.

The weeds she speaks of included a fully grown African sumac tree and oleander bushes. "I had one of those African sumacs," recalls Turner, owner of Turner Design LLC, "and there were 'babies ...