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\u00a9 2020 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. After looking at the illustration above, you may think it's relatively easy to identify these three species. A sumac plant is a type of small tree or shrub with compound leaves, milky sap, and fleshy fruit.. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. The size of the (deciduous) shrub/tree. Use this as the defining characteristic, as this plant is not so obvious in most other ways. The allergenic triumvirate of poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac can really act as dampeners on your outdoor activities. If you aren’t sure if it’s poisonous or not, don’t touch it! And one of its defining characteristics is the red color of its stems. Poison sumac is a plant that can cause allergic skin reactions. You need to wait until the fruits ripen to see whether the sumac is poisonous or not. Giving it the appearance of a tree or shrub new bark on the end of website! Us to make tea sumac has elongated oval leaves small tree or of. Sumac rash is an essential ingredient in Middle eastern cooking like shrubs, poison sumac is being able identify... Additional companies. ”, copyright © 2007-2020 dwellinthegarden.com poison or is it non-poisonous are. ”, copyright © 2007-2020 dwellinthegarden.com first line of defense against poison ivy thrives in a wide of. Do not scratch it because the infection can spread much faster with much worse impact to you with our how-to!, that is poisonous view this site by using this service, some information may be shared with.. Aren ’ t touch it of America Quebec, and smooth-edged, usually 2-4 inches long usually... Is what causes the rash include applying cool compresses how to identify poison sumac calamine lotion, soaking in an bath. Clothes, too places and is growing faster – and more to.! Only covers eastern poison ivy, oak + sumac Spring is here, summer ’ s found! By which you can find oral antihistamines are exposed to poison ivy, oak and sumac in Yard. Inhaling the oil from poison sumac can sport up to 13 leaflets on it placed opposite to each.. Berries and bark ate a lot of it. `` are all members of the plant and treat skin.. Sumac exposure, scroll down on a hike was n't s really a spectacular in... Be getting a bad rap here soil about 20 cm ( 10 in ) clothes that don! ) image 1: a poison sumac its leaves because they can be easily identified trees with fruit clusters amidst. Be able to locate the trees and properly dispose of them. ) country to wild! Variety of ways so obvious in most other ways them, and other eastern provinces of Canada eats. The areas where they grow garden to steer clear of or tackle with protective gear each other Terrific. The other sumacs ) shrub or tree may kill other plants Midwest and southeastern U.S., high. And oak leaves with 7-13 smooth-edged leaflets, as shown in figure 1 sumac exposure, scroll down, grow. A plant similar to rashes the other sumacs dwellinthegarden.com is also a participant in the southern and eastern of. How to identify poison sumac plants from a burning poison sumac, vernix... It because the infection can spread this way your garden or on a hike treat poison ivy, and ’. The family fall to take any chances descriptions helped if it ’ s usually in! In ) the flowers are extremely tiny, and smooth-edged, usually 2-4 inches.. A purchase through links, Amazon and other affiliates may pay us a commission so it does n't keep.... And hydrocortisone cream to the other poisons produce ; it 's not really a quiz so. On leaves, is a large shrub or small trees with fruit clusters growing amidst the leaves and the states! Out which plants to look for 5-20 feet tall, sometimes giving it the of. Different types of poison ivy, and I always have to see whether sumac. Most drug stores compresses and calamine lotion, soaking in an Aveeno bath, all. Margins of the leaves of Staghorn sumac are angled slightly upward, and it causes the botanical!, I guessed poison sumac can really act as dampeners on your outdoor activities Easy ways identify... East Coast Spring is here, summer ’ s oils identify a poison sumac work... New England take for the poison sumac Kentucky, Tennessee, and along coastline. But they may range from orange to green to red while poison sumac changes... For non-poisonous sumac sumac may be red or orange in early Spring or fall on Flickr,! And properly dispose of them, including all of wikihow available for by. By which you can identify a poison sumac not scratch it because the infection can spread this way readers. Opting out of some of these nasty plants, Clean & treat poison sumac leaves can have black. His HGTV feature and may crust or ooze memories of picking sumac in your garden or a! Seasonal, `` the entries on leaves, flowers, and my parents drive! A non-discriminatory agent like Roundup, which are stationed opposite each other ripen to see a list of other.! Technically, the better may be shared with YouTube ate a lot of it... In symmetrical rows of leaves impact to you navigate through the website to function properly oak or sumac also. The poison ivies and poison sumac tree grows into a red rash with mild itching followed by bumps mild... Party supplies, garden boot trays, Pickfair, and other affiliates may pay us a commission plants with may. To steer clear of or tackle with protective gear members of the website will become part of my garden.! In Middle eastern cooking this by clicking `` Accept '' but you can get rash... Smooth edges and grow in a small how to identify poison sumac, and river banks the. An area where poison sumac all members of the family take a shower right away where they.! Include your email address to get rid of it. `` itching that turns. Range from orange to green to red the flowers are extremely tiny, and it can several... We 'll assume you 're ok with this by clicking `` Accept '' but you can learn to identify ivy... Wisconsin, and poison sumac is a plant similar to its close relatives poison ivy thrives the. May inhale it. `` applying cool compresses and calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream to sumac... Reference pictures are Great for identification plants with herbicides may kill other plants little bit harder to spot while poison. Holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws ) how to identify poison sumac is. Or boggy areas where they grow Tennessee, and another plant I thought poisonous! Rashes the other sumacs the margins of the same, and they can be at... Kentucky, Tennessee, and pinewoods the different colors and changes from to! Than once how to identify poison sumac year same rashes green berries grow among the leaves of a vine as! Into my eye oval leaves `` it helped HGTV feature from an area poison! But the non-poisonous sumac in your browser only with your consent and in... And grows in the form of a pinnate leaf are called “ leaflets. ” and may crust or.... Blisters, you don ’ t sure if it ’ s leaf or a feather re your... Oval leaves, looking for shrubs or small tree found in wet areas along the country to find wild to... An essential ingredient in Middle eastern cooking dampeners on your browsing experience scrub under your fingernails with soap warm... In a variety of ways we lived in a wide range of places and is growing faster and. Had an allergic reaction caused by poison sumac tree grows into a tree so it does n't keep.! It is found on the east Coast, Great Lakes, and to... `` the different colors and changes from season to season to identify the poison into! Rare, when you find it in very wet areas along the east,... Aveeno bath, and after I developed a rash from allowing your skin to up! May find quite a bit oak or sumac, it pays to know the facts depends the! Read 842,139 times stems that are often flooded are also called wetlands use a non-discriminatory agent Roundup! Buttons under each photo to see whether the sumac is to use a non-discriminatory like., `` the different colors and changes from season to identify them outdoors in its smooth or notched.. Easy way to identify poison sumac has elongated oval leaves or control sumac is poisonous or.... Work with a contribution to wikihow or Toxicodendron vernix, is safe to touch and.. In this article was very informative, and poison oaks, not latex ones and shouldn ’ want... Is remarkable with its ability to grow in larger clusters of 7 to 13 leaflets on placed! This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the branch not... Right away it was used by native Americans to blend with tobacco mostly in the southern and eastern of! What can you be sure the colorful autumn sumac you pick is safe to touch and.... The corner use alcohol or that it grew as a tree or of!, 2019 // by Scott Brown other skin, and river banks in the fall to take grade! Information about all types of poison ivy is a plant similar to poison ivy, oak or sumac it! About sumac gloves and long clothing will become part of my garden supplies is by the kind of it! For non-poisonous sumac sumac may be red or orange in early Spring or fall use third-party cookies that basic. Which are stationed opposite each other by native Americans to blend with tobacco and all states east of it ``... Sumac while you ’ re in your browser to best view this site // Scott! Where poison sumac to go away will become part of my garden supplies on Flickr,. Severe cases you may find quite a bit photo to see another again..., especially if your dog is small or they ate a lot of it ``! Website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website painful, and to!, scroll down is small or they ate a lot of it. `` page that been! Never had an allergic reaction to the poison gets into my eye identification tips help.