Smooth Sumac

Smooth Sumac

Rhus glabra

Research for this blog involves a certain amount of googling.  Not only do I find information about the current plant, but lots of other stuff as well.  For instance, www.preparingtosurvive.com tells me not only how to make a tea from the berries, but also how to survive a nuclear holocaust.  It includes such sage advice as:

"when robbing nests do not take all the eggs leave about half of them. Remember, these birds are now a part of your food chain. You do not want to create a shortage by over harvesting the eggs."

Now that seems like pretty good advice.  The same is probably true when harvesting the sumac berries ... leave about half of them. ;-)


The plants grow in colonies, which are basically one plant that has sent up a bunch of shoots from the root

The leaflets are finely serrated and have a long tip



Yummy berries make a fine tea