She got me a Sumac start.

[Nyboy]

As someone who feels same way as Bay, what kitchen use does it have. I can send you plenty will take photos 1st to make sure it one you want. I had 2 seedling in middle of lawn once a week they would be mowed down when grass was cut. It took years to kill them that way, very fast grower.

 

[valley ranch]

The name sumac is derived from Aramaic "summaq" meaning "dark red." The variety of sumac "Rhus coriaria" is sold as a spice for cooking, and has been used in cooking for millenia.

Sumac is a spice, used in Armenian cooking that has a lovely tart mild lemon flavor. The deep red berries are most often used ground into a powder. sprinkle it over a platter of grilled vegetables or roasted chicken or shish kebob; it looks as appealing as it tastes.

 

[valley ranch]

noteoison sumac, Toxicodendron vernix, is related to the poison ivies and poison oaks, not to the other sumacs.

 

[hoodat]

This site never ceases to amaze me. I am stunned that anybody would actually WANT sumac. I have the red sumac and would jump for joy if they all died. Working diligently to eradicate them! They choke up fence rows, spread by seed and roots, invasive, take over and are PESTS. I burn them, pull roots and burn them too. The durn things are every where. Want some more? ........muttering to self about sumac murder.......

Borrow a few goats. They'll mow it down for you.

 

[hoodat]

I thou ght the whole name was poison sumac.

Poison sumach is a separate species. It has stiff hairs on the branches that sting if they touch you like stinging nettle but unlike the nettle the sting doesn't go away rather quickly. The poison sumach hairs remain imbedded in your skin and can cause a severe rash like poison ivy.
I have a natural immunity to poison ivy and poison oak but it doesn't extend to stinging nettle.

 

[baymule]

Since I have the stuff everywhere, can you elaborate in more detail on how to prepare, when to pick, what to pick, etc. Even if I kill it all off, there's plenty in the fence rows up and down the road.

 

[Smart Red]

Sigh! I am with Bay here. We've been over taken by sumac and have been bust'n our buns trying to eradicate them. Once I purchased a "RED" grouping of plants and found one to be a lovely red-leafed sumac. DEAD! I have also seen some pretty sumac with yellow leaves. NOT HERE!

Richard, do you really and truly want some of our (wild-growing) stag horn sumac? I'd be glad to send you a few hundred plants before they're gone.

 

[hoodat]

Sumac is what they call a pioneer plant; one of the first to regrow after an area has been burned over or otherwise disturbed. It helps hold things together and shades the new growth of more permanent trees (oaks, ash - whatever trees are native to your area.) It needs a lot of light so once the taller trees top it, it dies off. Because human activity favors open areas it never gets shaded out around farms and gardens. It also does well in empty lots in the city.

 

[Smart Red]

The only use for sumac berries that I knew of were to fake measles as a child. Press solidly against cheek or skin and remove. Instant (and washable) fake rash.

Thank you hoodat. Once again I learn from this wonderful site.

 

[baymule]

Armenian dishes? A post in the recipes might be a good idea to enlighten us on what we can do with sumac.....