Rhus is a deciduous small tree, growing to between five metres and eight metres high with smooth, grey bark.
The 5 mm-wide to 11 mm-wide fruits are round but slightly flattened in one plane, pale brown and hard textured with a papery skin. They hang in clusters on the tree through winter, falling in spring
The rhus tree has compound leaves between 10 cm and 30 cm long with between four pairs and seven pairs of leaflets. There is an unpaired terminal leaflet at the tip of each leaf.
Each leaflet has a long tapered tip and a rounded asymmetric base. The leaflet lower surface has a slight whitish bloom
Tiny yellowish flowers are carried in large clusters, between 8 cm and 15cm long.
Seed is spread by birds. The seeds are produced in large numbers and are said to have a high germination rate
Rhus grows well in almost any reasonably fertile soil. Many thousands of seedlings have flourished in home gardens, in public areas and in urban bushland.
It is a highly toxic, allergy-causing tree. It causes severe dermatitis beginning with a rash, redness, itching and blisters wherever skin comes into contact with the plant or its sap. The rash is often accompanied by localised swelling of the face, arms and legs.
Rhus was once commonly planted in Australian gardens because of its brilliant autumn foliage.
It became problematic in the Sydney region in the 1980s, and is now declared a Noxious Weed across NSW.
Scattered plants still occur in domestic gardens and rhus also has invasive characteristics.
Rhus is a member of the Anacardiaceae family and is native to the areas from northern Pakistan to Japan and south to Indonesia.