# Poison Sumac (*toxicodendron vernix*)

Poison Sumac is a plant that grows in wet areas and has beautiful, colorful leaves. But be careful! Touching it can cause a rash.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 4/5 · High
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Wet areas, swamps, and along riverbanks.
- **Also known as:** Poison Ivy's cousin, Rhus vernix, Toxic Sumac

![Poison Sumac](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Toxicodendron_vernix.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toxicodendron_vernix.jpg)

## Appearance

The Poison Sumac is a shrub or small tree, often with smooth, glossy green leaves that grow in pinnately compound clusters of 7 to 13 leaflets. Its stems can be reddish, and in fall, the leaves turn vibrant red, orange, or yellow. Distinctive drooping clusters of waxy, white or grayish-white berries persist through winter.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Sapindales
- **Family:** Anacardiaceae
- **Genus:** Toxicodendron

## Interesting facts

- Its irritating oil can remain potent on objects for years, even after the plant is gone!
- Only touching a broken part of the plant can trigger a severe rash!
- Some people are completely immune to its rash, but this is extremely rare!
- Unlike harmless sumacs, its berries hang downwards, not upright like a torch!

## Special abilities

- **Irritant Shield:** Poison Sumac produces urushiol oil that causes an itchy rash, helping it deter hungry herbivores.
- **Water Resilience:** Poison Sumac can thrive in soggy swamps or drier areas, helping it survive diverse conditions.
- **Seed Attractor:** Poison Sumac has white berries that are attractive to birds, helping it spread its seeds far and wide.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 100-600 cm
- **Spread:** 100-300 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** High
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Birds eat the berries, dispersing seeds widely.
- **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees visit its small flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer browse the foliage and twigs, often without harm.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 4/5 · High

Do not touch this plant, as it can cause skin irritation.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Poison Sumac?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Poison Sumac?

100-600 cm

### How wide does Poison Sumac spread?

100-300 cm

### How big are the flowers on Poison Sumac?

0.2-0.5 cm

### When does Poison Sumac bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Poison Sumac edible?

No

### Is Poison Sumac toxic?

High

### What is Poison Sumac's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Allaire Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/allaire-village) — New Jersey, US · Museum
- [Medfield Rhododendrons](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/medfield-rhododendrons) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve
- [Triangle Lake Bog State Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/triangle-lake-bog-state-nature-preserve) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve
- [Rocky Arbor State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rocky-arbor-state-park) — Wisconsin, US · State Park

[View all places to see Poison Sumac](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/poison-sumac)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Poison Sumac: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/poison-sumac)