Smooth Sumac

Smooth Sumac (winter), Rhus glabra

The dominant sumac of the Blackland Prairie in smooth sumac, and it is the only tree species native to all 48 contiguous states. It is a colony-forming, deciduous tree or shrub that can reach heights between 3 to 6 m (10 to 20 ft). The serrated leaflets are dark green with a whitish waxy coating on the lower surface which turn bright red in early autumn. The female plants of smooth sumac bloom clusters of yellow flowers during the summer months. It tolerates sun and some shade, drought, most soils, and can be found in prairies, roadsides, and woodlands as well as impossible slopes.

Cluster of sour berries during the month of December.

Many species of wildlife make use of smooth sumac, especially in winter. The flowers give way to a pyramidal cluster of red berries that persist throughput the winter months. These berries are consumed by a number of birds including bobwhite quails, wild turkey, ring-necked pheasant, dark-eyed juncos, brown thrashers, gray partridge, and ruffed grouse. The bark and the fruit are also known to be consumed by white-tailed deer, mule deer, and cottontail rabbits. Smooth sumac was also a widely used species among Native American tribes. The sour fruits were consumed raw or made into a drink similar to lemonade. A root and leaf tea were used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, and ulcers. Raw young sprouts were used in salads, blossoms in a mouthwash for teething by the Chippewa, and leaves mixed with tobacco for smoking. The fruits were also used for red dyes while the inner bark and roots made for a yellow dye.