Poison Sumac

(Toxicodendron vernix)

Other Names:
Swamp sumac, thunderwood

Range:


Family:
Anacardiaceae - Sumac Family

Growth Type:
Perennial woody shrub or small tree

Height:
Can grow up to 30 feet tall.

Leaves:
Each compound pinnate leaf has 7–13 leaflets which are 2–4 inches long. These leaflets are oval and taper to a sharp point. The base of each leaflet is wedge shaped. The leaflet margins are wavy, and they can be either smooth, or covered in fine hairs. The tips of the uppermost leaflets can have a red tint to them.

Stem/Trunk:
The stems of leaflets are red in color. This is a simple means to differentiate this species from the useful Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac). The trunk of the shrub/tree starts out light gray but will darken a bit with age.

Root:
Fibrous root mass

Flower Season:
Spring

Flower Appearance:
Greenish flowers are arranged in loose clusters. These clusters grow downwards, which is one of the ways to tell this plant from the non-toxic staghorn sumac.

Seed/Fruit:
The creamy white fruit grow in downward hanging clusters. Individual whitish-gray fruits are a little more than ¼ inch in diameter and slightly flattened.

Miscellaneous characteristics:
N/A

Habitat:
T. vernix can be found in wet and clay soil of swamps and peat bogs.

No part of this plant should be picked for any reason. All parts are toxic. Ingesting any part of this plant will result in searious harm up to and includinng death.