The evergreen leaves are aromatic and somewhat glaucous. Flowers are borne on terminal panicles. The shrubs are at least moderately long-lived. Ring counts of the branches of larger individuals on the San Gabriel River floodplain reveiled ages of 35 to 47 years. Little information is available on age distribution in a typical stand.
Seed falls beneath the parent plant or is disseminated by frugivorous animals.
Scarification by hydrochloric acid, heat, or mechanical means breaks dormancy. A study was conducted to test the germination capacity of fresh seed of seven chaparral species after exposure to elevated temperatures. It showed that laural sumac and the taxonomically related sugarberry required higher temperatures for germination than all other species tested. Drought sensitivity is a major factor inhibiting recruitment. Germination and growth are favored on sites with summer microshade.