There are two kinds of sumac in the Skiatook area, smooth sumac and winged sumac. Smooth or winged refers to the appearance of the stem between the leaves. In winged sumac, a bit of leaf tissue is seen on the stem between the leaves, giving it the appearance of being “winged.” Smooth sumac stems don’t have this “wing.”
Smooth sumac is a common shrub throughout the tallgrass region. Plants occur in dense thickets that grow to 15 feet tall. Leaves have a bluish cast. Greenish flowers appear in the spring followed in late summer by 4-6-inch erect clusters of edible red berries, which remain throughout the winter. Fall foliage is a deep red color. Chickadees and other birds feed on the berries, and deer forage on the leaves and twigs. Berries can be used to make a lemonade-like drink. Native Americans made flour from the seeds.
Winged sumac has many traits like those of smooth sumac. It grows in dense thickets and is often cultivated to provide cover for birds and other wildlife and for its shiny dark green leaves and brilliant orange-red fall foliage. Thickets seldom exceed 8 feet tall. Clusters of erect greenish-yellow flowers occur in the summer followed by drooping clusters of red berries that persist into winter. Berries are food for birds and other wildlife. The somewhat sour berries are rich in vitamin A and can be made into a lemonade-like beverage.
There’s a misconception that sumac is poisonous. Although there is a poison sumac, it’s not found in Oklahoma. It occurs in the swamps of the eastern United States and in the peat bogs of the upper Midwest. It’s a tree that grows to nearly 30 feet and has clusters of creamy white berries.
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