Sumac is a spice that comes from ground Sumac berries of the Middle Eastern Rhus Coriaria plant. It has edible relatives that are similar, such as Smooth Sumac. Staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina, is probably the most common in our parts and the easiest to identify with its velvety young branches resembling the velvet-textured new antlers of stags. Sumac is used to make a drink called Indian Lemonade, referring to indigenous or Native Americans. Sumac (pronounced (/ ˈ sj uː m æ k /) or (/ ˈ s uː m æ k /), and also spelled sumach, sumak, soumak, and sumaq) is any one of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus Rhus and related genera, in the family Anacardiaceae.It grows in subtropical and temperate regions throughout the world, especially in East Asia, Africa, and North America. See more ideas about Sumac, Sumac recipes, Wild edibles. But by the time I’ve turned sumac’s hairy berries into a lemony, rosy extract, the fuzz factor is gone and the result is one of my favorite wild edible plant products. It’s fairly rare unless you happen to spend most of your time in ankle-deep swamps, it’s confined to the eastern U.S., and it’s easily differentiated from the good stuff by some very obvious traits. AND. varieties in the Pacific Northwest include Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra). Poison sumac, or Toxicodendron vernix, produces white-colored fruits, as opposed to the red-hued fruit produced by the edible sumac plant. Fruit. Close-up of sumac berries. Topside of Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum) leaf. Closer look at sumac shrubs. This guide covers a number of edible berries in the Pacific Northwest, including Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. The tree is known for its bright red berries, and the berries of certain species—rhus glabra, rhus typhina, and rhus copallinum, notably—can be dried, ground, and used in traditional Middle Eastern and North African cooking. Not only do the dried and ground berries of the edible Rhus species add wonderful lemony flavor to meat and vegetable dishes, research suggests that food-grade sumac may also be good for you. Sumac berries have been dried, ground, and used as a spice and tea for thousands of years, most notably in … You pour boiling water over the berries, allow to stand for 15 minutes, squeeze the berries, then strain out through cheesecloth and discard the berries, then sweeten the juice to taste. Staghorn sumac fruits mature from August to September. Staghorn sumac has very fuzzy stems, hence the name staghorn. Home > Edible Berries of the Pacific Northwest > Sumac. Edible sumac has red fruit borne in terminal clusters. This fragrant spice is used to brighten up dry rubs, spice blends like za’atar, and dressings. By comparison, the poisonous kind are white. Anacardiaceae (the Cashew or Sumac family) Rhus (the Cashew or Sumac genus). Mitton: Smooth sumac’s deep red berries are edible, but its leaves poisonous Plant was an important source of food, medicine, weaving materials and dyes Categories: edible weeds, main dish, recipes, wild fruit | Tags: cooking with sumac, edible sumac, poison sumac, preserving sumac, staghorn sumac, sumac berries | Permalink. The leaf edges of poison sumac are smooth, while those of the edible eastern sumacs are toothed. berry is reddish, hairy, and has lemony taste. The berries of poison sumac start out green in spring and remain that color for much of the summer. grows in plains and foothills on dry slopes. Only shrubs that are 3 to 4 years old can produce the fruit. Edible Parts: Fruit Oil Edible Uses: Drink Oil Fruit - raw or cooked[2, 22]. ... sumac. 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