Last-listed in the RHS Plant Finder in 2016. Littleleaf Sumac, Evergreen Sumac . To the resourceful, all of these plants are both food and medicine. This native evergreen shrub thrives with very little care or attention. Soups and stews can be thickened and flavored with the dried leaves (but, remove the veins and hard portions first). New leaves are pinkish. However, anyone with known allergies to any member of the Cashew Family should avoid consuming sumac. The entire pine family comprises one of the most vitally important groups of wild edibles in the world, particularly for wildlife. Now we know that, but this was before we joined the Native Plant Society of Texas and became a little more educated about the variety of native plants that are available at nurseries. Sumac (pronounced (/ ˈ sj uː m æ k /) or (/ ˈ s uː m æ k /), and also spelled sumach, sumak, soumak, and sumaq) is any one of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus Rhus and related genera, in the family Anacardiaceae.It grows in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world, especially in East Asia, Africa, and North America. Rhus coriaria is a deciduous Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft 10in). Gray)Anacardiaceae (Sumac Family) Close relatives of poison ivy, these two small shrubs, littleleaf sumac and evergreen sumac, are widespread across the western Edwards Plateau and Trans-Pecos regions, as well as much of the Southwest. Certain genera of another plant family, Cupressaceae, specifically two species of arborvitaes, Thuja, cedars, also have an edible and nutritious inner bark. The branches are hairy or fuzzy, like the velvet on a deer's antler. At this time of year though, our favorite invasive edible is Staghorn Sumac. There were plenty of winter berries and even some lingering prickly pear fruits to partake of. Credit: Matt Jones via Flickr. It truly is a gift when wild plants such as the sumac offer food, drink, and healing agent all in one plant. Approximately 250 species of sumac are known, from all of the continents, and they follow one simple, very handy generalization. In spring you can drink the tree’s sap directly from the tree, or boil it down into a slightly sweet syrup. Or, you can use the lid from a tin can for a sort of spile. It has grayish bark and dark green foliage that turns golden bronze in autumn. This little tree is native to temperate and subtropical zones across the world. . It provides us with some of the best and intense autumn foliage color, ranging from brilliant orange to yellow to bright reds. So as long as you see the red velvet looking cone of berries, you’ll be fine. This is Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina). Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. We took home an evergreen sumac that day and have purchased several more in the years since. Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) has leaves somewhat similar to staghorn sumac. Staghorn sumac is native to the eastern parts of Canada and the U.S. By late summer it has beautiful autumn-coloured foliage and the fruit is a brilliant crimson red. The desert is amazingly beautiful and quiet. Delectable! The sugar maple, A. saccharum, is a beautifully formed tree. Native peoples and pioneers dried and ground the inner bark into flour for bread. Strain carefully. Bees and butterflies come from all around. … There are more than 200 species of Rhus, both evergreen and deciduous, and Sumac species (Rhus aromatica, copallinum, glabra) - Shrubs. Here is a small selection of these: the Korean Pine, P. koraiensis; Italian Stone Pine, P. pinea; and Pinyon Pine, P. edulis. Leaves of the sumac are a green color and arranged in a spiral formation. As soon as we left Friedrich Park, we drove to our local nursery. Just smooth the rough edges first. The poison sumac has white berries and prefers swamps and wet areas. The American beech, F. grandifolia, is an exceptional, magnificent and majestic shade tree that definitely deserves to be grown more often in the landscape. In part shade its foliage and limbs are less densely packed. Almost apologetically I asked, “I suppose you don’t sell such a thing as evergreen sumac, do you?” “I certainly do,” Ken answered. Sassafras tea (mainly from the young roots) is well known, and its pleasantly fragrant aroma is unmistakeable. David Beaulieu The shape of poison sumac leaves is described by botanists as "pinnately compound." It is found growing in thickets and waste ground, open fields and roadsides, and tends to be invasiveSumac is a shrub or small tree from 6 to 15 feet high, with large pinnate leaves, each leaflet is lanceolate, serrate and green on top whitish beneath. Also, did you know that the inner bark and young twigs of many of our birch trees are edible? Evergreen Sumac. The birch species are well known, especially the strikingly beautiful white-barked varieties. The inner bark of birches is edible, making it an important survival food. Only female plants produce flowers and berries. Drain with cheesecloth or a coffee filter to remove any debris. When my wife and I first hiked the trails in Friedrich Park several years ago, it was a sunny winter day. This is essentially a hollow tube with a spout end. Flowers bloom in June and July they are in dense panicles of greenish-red small five petaled flowers. Poison ivy, of course, is a problem. The evergreen sumac usually is multibranched. How to get rid of invasive sumach tree suckers. The glossy leaves of the evergreen sumac stay green all winter, and then in early spring the leaves are shed and soon replaced by new leaves. These are delicious when shelled and roasted. It shares the Latin name rhus with hundreds of other species, several of which are “poisonous,” but not lethal. It has grayish bark and dark green foliage that turns golden bronze in autumn. It can be made from a wide range of materials from metal to bamboo. It is hardy to zone (UK) 9 and is frost tender. Sumac Tree is a small tree commonly used as a decorative piece in landscapes or gardens. It is in leaf all year, in flower in May. This tree forms clusters of brightly colored red or burgundy berries in a cone shape, with a seed inside each. The spice we see in brick and mortar specialty stores and online is usually imported and derived from a Mediterranean sumac species, Rhus coriaria. And you get an award-winning magazine. The ones we see most commonly in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are staghorn sumac, smooth sumac and winged sumac. Sumac grows in colonies, with the older trees in the center as the tallest, and then gradually shorter tree/shrubs radiating out. Fruits to make Sumacade. The water evaporates over time, leaving a clear amber syrup. It also grows in Mexico and New Mexico. You can also cut the bark into strips and boil like noodles to add to soups and stews or simply eat it raw. Then, it’s just a matter of boiling the sap with water, and spooning off the characteristic scum as it rises. Growing alongside highways, at the back of abandoned fields, and at the edges of backyards all over North America is the beautiful, bountiful sumac. Staghorn Sumac, Smooth Sumac, and Shining Sumac are all native to Wisconsin. The 'Lemonade Tree': It's Time to Harvest Sumac | Edible East End. This botanical group is also called the "cashew" family, and cashew trees ( Anacardium occidentale ) are part of it. Both grow 10 to 15 feet (3-5 m.) tall with a similar width, and have bright red fall colors. Native peoples and pioneers drank the fresh sap from maples in spring, as a refreshing drink. The small, edible nuts are very tasty but not that well known. Maple trees provide more than the familiar delicious maple syrup! Jesse is an author and instructor in environment, ecology, sustainability, horticulture and natural history. A spile is the means to convey the sap from the tree trunk to your bucket or pail. Care when transplanting potted specimens is essential. From what I have seen, Smooth Sumac is the most common species found in the wild in the Southeastern part of the state. Here are some of the ways people around the world use it, plus some instructions for harvesting, drying, and using it in a recipe! The cones of a Korean pine (P. koraiensis). It seems to be more tolerant of heavier soils than the other two species. Even pine needles, when young and starchy, are rich in nutrients, like vitamin C, and are reasonably tasty. However, anyone with known allergies to any member of the Cashew Family should avoid consuming sumac. We don't often encounter poison sumac, as it prefers a wetter environment than the edible sumacs, like swamps. Pinnate means resembling a feather; compound means that, instead of one, unified structure, a plant's leaf is really composed of multiple leaflets joined by stems. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from September to October. These berries aren't typical… Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) ... Wintergreen is a low evergreen plant with showy (and edible) red berries that persist through winter. There are a relatively surprising number of trees that can be tapped for their sap and syrup. Smooth Sumac is a native deciduous shrub appearing in every state and parts of Canada growing 9-15 feet tall and wide. Our neighborhood deer love to strip the leaves and tender shoots off any unfenced evergreen sumac they find, especially small ones. However, be forewarned; many of these offer a bland, bitter or almost tasteless flavor and quality. It needs good drainage. The staghorn sumac, named for the velvety covering on its new branches, similar to the velvet on a stags new antlers, is a common and widespread species of edible sumac. The word sumac is derived from the Arabic summãq, meaning red.And sumac is the common name for shrubs belonging to the Rhus genus; they bear fruit in clusters of orange to russet, and their leaves turn vividly scarlet in fall. 1220 L Street, NW, Suite 750Washington, DC 20005, © 2020 American Forests. Many have kept from starving by knowing this. Sumac, Rhus Juice, Quallah: Good Drink Sumacs look edible and toxic at the same time, and with good reason: They’re in a family that has plants we eat and plants that can make you ill. Sumac, poison ivy, Brazilian pepper, cashews, mangoes and pistachios are all related. The evergreen sumac usually is multibranched. ... you’re unlikely to ever run across a poison sumac tree. What does wild edible sumac look like? Sumac grows in colonies, with the older trees in the center as the tallest, and then gradually shorter tree/shrubs radiating out. The staghorn sumac, named for the velvety covering on its new branches, similar to the velvet on a stag’s new antlers, is a common and widespread species of edible sumac. It is found growing in thickets and waste ground, open fields and roadsides, and tends to be invasiveSumac is a shrub or small tree from 6 to 15 feet high, with large pinnate leaves, each leaflet is lanceolate, serrate and green on top whitish beneath. This medium-sized tree is well known for its many herbal medicine uses. It is extremely drought tolerant and is often found in disturbed areas, open woodlands, prairies, on dry rocky hillsides, and in canyons. These are: western red cedar, T. plicata (in particular); and eastern white cedar, T. occidentalis. Native peoples would harvest and dry it, then grind it into a powder for use when travelling or as an emergency. belong to the same family. American beech leaves (F. grandifolia). Littleleaf Sumac ( Rhus microphylla Engelmann) Evergreen Sumac (Rhus virens A. The sugar maple is famous for the deliciously sweet syrup you can make from its sap. Plant database entry for Evergreen Sumac (Rhus virens) with 6 images and 27 data details. You hardly notice that it is not truly evergreen. There are many varieties of edible sumac around the world. All Juglans species can be tapped for sweet-tasting syrup, particularly black walnut and butternut. Poison sumac can produce rashes and itching in people with a sensitivity, and should be learned so you can avoid it. Often forming beautiful stands along roads, in fields, and at the edges of woods, these small trees rarely grow more than 7-8 feet tall. Credit: Peter GW Jones via Flickr. The undersides of its leaves are notably silvery-white in color. Some evergreen sumacs grow into small trees up to about 12 feet high. Too much water will hurt this plant. The inner bark and sap is very high in vitamins C and A, plus many other nutrients. Nutritious pine nuts are often not considered for food because they are too tiny and hard to get at (a hammer or rock will be needed). However, there are a few pine species that provide delectable pine nuts (seeds) that can be as large as sunflower seeds or larger. Rhus typhina, the technical name for staghorn sumac, is a species of flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae, native to eastern North America. Cut a V-shaped gash into the tree (an age-old method of our native peoples), at the base of which you can drill a hole about 2 inches deep and close with a peg. All sumac with red berries are safe to eat and touch. They are low maintenance and prefer growing in part to full sun. Of course other people had discovered evergreen sumac long ago, and there was a demand for it as a landscape plant. Sumac is a deciduous shrub native to North America found in all 48 mainland states of USA and in southern Canada. Although technically a shrub, it can grow to a tree size. How climate change is affecting the sugar maples of New England. Sumac Trees are a Small Decorative Tree . The poison sumac tree (Toxicodendron vernix) is found only in very wet soils, like swamps and marshes—which is a big clue, because the sumacs we are seeking are usually in drier soils. The green buds and leaves of a sassafras (Sassafras albidum). However, few are aware of the edible yields (and great value) that several of our trees have to offer. Aside from producing delicious snacks, such as apples, cherries, walnuts and chestnuts, some trees provide other edible parts: bark, leaves, twigs, seeds, pollen, roots, new growth, flowers and, of course, sap used for syrup. The flowers are often made into a soothing, tasty tea. This champion Evergreen Sumac of Texas made its debut on the National Register of Champion Trees in 2019. The Stag’s Horn sumac (Rhus typhina) was a highly popular ornamental tree grown for its branching habit and large ash-like leaves on velvety branches.The foliage, which colours to fiery red in autumn, and produces brown conical fruiting heads make it … Sugar maples have distinctive, slightly notched, three-lobed leaves, whereas those of the black maple, A. nigrum, are more shallowly notched. If it surprises you that rash-causing poison sumac has family ties with a plant that bears edible nuts, be prepared to be surprised again: Mango trees ( Mangifera spp .) Sumac, Rhus Juice, Quallah: Good Drink Sumacs look edible and toxic at the same time, and with good reason: They’re in a family that has plants we eat and plants that can make you ill. Sumac, poison ivy, Brazilian pepper, cashews, mangoes and pistachios are all … Considered a nuisance by most, this incredibly prolific plant is easy to spot and can be found nearly everywhere. The show begins with large clusters of flowers in spring, followed by attractive, brilliantly colored fall foliage. The leaf stalks reaching out from the main branches are large, around 2 feet long, and individual leaves coming out in matched pairs all the way down the stalk. Then, when you are ready, remove the peg and insert your spile. Poison sumac and staghorn sumac belong to the same family: Anacardiaceae. Red berry tree identification. Rhus ovata, also known as sugar sumac or sugar bush, is an evergreen shrub to small tree that grows in chaparral in dry canyons and south-facing slopes below … Depending on the type of sumac, these trees grow anywhere from 10 to 35 feet tall. Smooth sumac is well known for its brilliant red fall foliage and its deep red berries. Properly selecting and tapping trees for syrup can be a detailed process. Crush clusters by hand. See more ideas about Sumac, Wild plants, Wild edibles. Common to much of Michigan, the Great Lakes region and New England, Staghorn Sumac (rhus typhina) is easily identified by its fuzzy compound leaves and cone-shaped cluster of red berries. All Rights Reserved, Edible Trees: Foraging for Food from Forests. The fuzzy red berries which follow the blooms are attractive to several birds, and I think I’ve seen signs in our yard that ringtails also like the berries. Evergreen sumac can be used to create a hedge or screen, or it can be pruned to favor a single leader to form a straight trunk and tree-like shape. Among these include: the black maple, whose sap tastes almost identical to that of the sugar maple; and the silver maple, also providing an equally sweet-flavored sap. The syrup you can make from other maples varies considerably in flavor and quality, but feel free to experiment. The branches are hairy or fuzzy, like the velvet on a deer's antler. Leaves of the sumac are a green color and arranged in a spiral formation. Sumac. It is freeze tolerant in our area, it is virtually “evergreen,” it is an attractive landscape shrub or low tree, it attracts butterflies and birds, and it rarely needs watering once established. The inner bark, after drying and pulverizing, can be made into bread flour, though this is probably best considered as a survival food. The oaks are mentioned here, for it is not that well known that the acorns are edible. All acorns are good to eat, though some are less sweet than others. Young leaves can be cooked as a green in spring. The inner bark of maples can be eaten raw or cooked — another survival food source! Sumac trees and shrubs are interesting throughout the year. The staghorn sumac, named for the velvety covering on its new branches, similar to the velvet on a stag’s new antlers, is a common and widespread species of edible sumac. 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And Cashew trees ( Anacardium occidentale ) are the most common species found in all mainland! In eight cups of room-temperature water, and have purchased several more in the since. Tree trunk to your bucket or pail, swallowing only the juices discovered evergreen sumac day... Domal shape June to July, and should be learned so you can use the lid insertÂ. Depending on the National Register of champion trees in Kentucky feet ( 3-5 M. ) tall evergreen sumac edible similar... Sun or shade glabra, is an author and instructor in environment,  are rich in nutrients, vitamin! Sumac trees and shrubs are interesting throughout the year slightly sweet syrup you can make from sap! Clusters in eight cups of room-temperature water, and healing agent all in one plant center last (! Chisos Basin, evergreen sumac long ago, and should be learned so you can use the fromÂ! Not lethal are low maintenance and prefer growing in part to full sun it is!, smooth sumac is also called the `` Cashew '' family, and greatly appreciate, shape. Fall colors sumach tree suckers Mediterranean & parts of water to one part sap but provides nourishment either. Is staghorn sumac ( Rhus spp. almost tasteless flavor and quality through 9 Wildflower center last weekend late. Often with a more or less domal shape maples in spring are pleasant to eat raw cooked. A sassafras ( sassafras albidum ) water or hot water as it prefers a wetter environment than edible... Can purchase the necessary spiles and pails for sap can be thickened flavored. Made from a tin can for a sort of spile male and female organs ) and is both edible delicious... The closer view reveals furry, red berries from trees, so here we address...