Wednesday, 8:00 AM. 60 degrees, wind SW, calm at present. The channel is glassy. The sky is partly cloudy, and the barometer predicts sunny skies.Staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina, is a constant component of the landscape here, growing naturally on woods edges, fields and other sunny spots. It is attractive in all seasons, with blood red fall color and showy panicles of red fruits. It has large yellow flower heads, which are evidently quite variable. In our area the female flowers develop into clusters of hairy red fruits that have a pleasant lemony, astringent flavor. They aren’t really edible but can be chewed, and make a refreshing tea.
The flowers on shrub clones I have seen here are borne on separate male and female plants, the male flower heads being bright yellow and rather broadly conical in shape, the female flower inflorescences yellow with a reddish cast, and more spindle shaped.
Sumacs of all types are invasive and don’t belong near a garden. They develop into large clones of plants, that send out suckers twenty and more feet, from which spring up new shrubs.
If you have sumacs in a landscape enjoy but control them. If you don’t have them you probably don’t want them, except in a very large informal or native landscape.
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