It initially spread under the fence into our garden and we now have quite a lot of plants but not sure what it is - does it look like staghorn sumac?

It does look like Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)




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It is certainly Sumac (Rhus sp.), and if those stems are fuzzy as they appear, then that will be Staghorn Sumac - Rhus typhina.

You are observing one of the drawbacks of this genus of plants in ordered landscapes. Sumacs are colonizers, meaning they make masses from individual stems which are suckers from the root system - wherever the root system has grown to. They don't respect property boundaries well, if at all.

It will be difficult to eliminate them, unless you are able to separate and then remove the length of root(s) that have entered your garden. Cutting off the stem eliminates that stem, but you will see additional new stems arising to replace it elsewhere along the roots.

Thank you for your replies. Yes - I've given up trying to remove them from the garden - the root system is so extensive and runs through the roots of quite a few established bushes. They're nice plants but seem to have taken over that part of the garden.

I've taken some closer up of photos of the stems -

Yes, the fuzziness - from whence the name of the felt-like surface on the antlers/horns of a stag (deer) when they first emerge annually.

This is a great separating feature in identification of this species among the rest of the Sumac clan - at least the ones I get to see here in eastern North America. The rest are glabrous, and you can observe this ANY time of year - not just when the leaves are out.

ViburnumValley said:Yes, the fuzziness - from whence the name of the felt-like surface on the antlers/horns of a stag (deer) when they first emerge annually.

This is a great separating feature in identification of this species among the rest of the Sumac clan - at least the ones I get to see here in eastern North America. The rest are glabrous, and you can observe this ANY time of year - not just when the leaves are out.

Thank you