# Sumac (*Ginglymodesmus sumac*)

Sumac is a shrub with bright red leaves in the fall. It grows in fields and along roadsides, adding color to the landscape.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Fields, Roadsides
- **Also known as:** Sumac Tree

![Sumac](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Rhus-typhina.JPG&width=800)

Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rhus-typhina.JPG)

## Appearance

The Sumac is a shrub or small tree, easily recognized by its vibrant green, compound leaves that transform into spectacular shades of fiery red, orange, or purple in autumn. It typically bears upright clusters of fuzzy red or maroon berries.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Sapindales
- **Family:** Anacardiaceae
- **Genus:** Rhus

## Interesting facts

- Its bright red berry clusters often stay on the plant through winter!
- Sumac is a super tough plant that can grow in really dry, poor soils.
- The word 'Sumac' comes from an ancient Aramaic word that means 'red'!
- You can make a tangy, lemonade-like drink from its fuzzy red berries!

## Special abilities

- **Sour Berry Power:** Sumac has fuzzy red berries containing malic acid, which helps it attract animals to disperse its seeds after eating them.
- **Fiery Foliage:** Sumac leaves create dazzling autumn colors, helping them capture sunlight efficiently before shedding for winter to conserve energy.
- **Underground Spreader:** Sumac can spread by underground stems called rhizomes, which helps it form dense thickets and colonize new areas quickly.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 100-600 cm
- **Spread:** 100-500 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Feeds on sumac berries in winter.
- **Eaten by:** [Cedar Waxwing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cedar-waxwing) (*Bombycilla cedrorum*) — Consumes sumac berries as a food source.
- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and pollen from sumac flowers.
- **Eats:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Browses on sumac leaves and twigs.

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Enjoy looking at sumac, but avoid touching it as some species may cause skin irritation.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify 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 Sumac?

100-600 cm

### How wide does Sumac spread?

100-500 cm

### How big are the flowers on Sumac?

0.2-0.5 cm

### When does Sumac bloom?

Summer

### Is Sumac edible?

Yes

### Is Sumac toxic?

None

### What is Sumac's lifecycle?

Perennial

## 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: [Sumac: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sumac)