The staghorn sumac is botanically known as Rhus typhina or Rhus hirta. It is native to the United States and a member of the sumac, or Anacardiaceae, family of plants.
Staghorn Sumac Description
Growing 15 to 30 feet high, this deciduous perennial has crooked trunks and velvety limbs. The leaves are large and compound, getting more and more colorful by the end of fall. There are flowers that are yellow-green and bright red berries that are fuzzy and in clusters. Bloom season is between June and July. It grows quickly, usually without disease or insect problems, and it is drought tolerant.
Growing Guide
Able to grow in any lighting with a dry nearly neutral pH soil, the staghorn sumac is propagated by seed or root cuttings. Seed should be scarified by acid for one to three hours and then have 30 days of cold moist stratification. Root cuttings should be in winter.
Distribution
This native plant is found in the states of Alabama, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. Typically it is seen in old fields and uplands.
Sumac Tea
Take the red seed head and do not wash. The flavor is in the crystals on the outer portion of the berries. Cover with boiling water and steep for an hour. Dilute if it is too strong, sweeten if too bitter. Splenda or sugar does well for sweetening. Six seedheads can do an entire pitcher of sumac tea. This is sometimes called Sumac-ade, or Sumac Lemonade too.
Other Uses
The Native Americans added staghorn sumac in with herbs and tobacco and smoked it. Some people also do this today. It can be used as a natural dye and it is rich in tannins. It can be put in with other dye baths to help in light fastness. The berries are a favorite food for pheasants, crows, catbirds, robins, grouse, thrushes, and bluebirds. The flowers will attract honeybees in the spring.
This native plant can be a tree or shrub depending on its growth habit and pruning options. It is a nice looking shrub that some plant just for the seedheads. There are many that enjoy the sumac drink that has been brewed for generations.
Sources: NPIN, Cooks.com
Tina Samuels - Tina Samuels specializes in health, animal, and gardening articles. She authored "A Georgia Native Plant Guide".
