Littleleaf Sumac is a minor component of the South Texas brush country, occuring in a variety of soils but it prefers dry, rocky, gravelly, upland mixed-brush thickets, open alkali flats, and mesas and foothills.  The fruit is eaten by birds including quail and turkey.  White-tailed deer will occasionally browse the leaves and Littleleaf Sumac is also drought tolerant.