Rhus copallina
Winged sumac

Family: Cashew (Anacardiaceae)


Lifespan: Perennial

Height: 7.6 m

Flower Color: Greenish-white

Flower Size: 3 mm wide

Bloom Season: July-September

Fruit: Drupe; more than 3 mm in diameter; dark red

Conditions: Open uplands, valleys, forest edges, grasslands, clearings, roadsides, waste places

Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade

Moisture: Dry

Given room, winged sumac spreads, forming dome-shaped colonies. Leaves are bright red, yellow, or orange in the fall. In the fall and winter, the dense clusters of tiny bright red seeds stand out; steeped in boiling water, they make a tart, pink "lemonade."


I can be reached at audrey@mystery.com