Wild Forage

Poison sumac

Toxicodendron vernix

Swamp shrub whose oils cause a severe rash. Never eat, never touch, never burn.

Poison sumac: Leaf. Smooth-edged leaflets on red-tinged leaf stalks — LeafSmooth-edged leaflets on red-tinged leaf stalksPhoto: bunnymom20 · CC0 · source

Poison sumac: Leaf — LeafPhoto: Keith Kanoti, Maine Forest Service, Bugwood.org · CC BY 3.0 · source

Poison sumac: Fruit or seed — Fruit or seedPhoto: Douglas Goldman · CC BY-SA · source

Poison sumac: Fruit or seed. Drooping clusters of whitish berries (winter) — Fruit or seedDrooping clusters of whitish berries (winter)Photo: bunnymom20 · CC0 · source

Poison sumac: Whole plant — Whole plantPhoto: Alan Weakley · CC0 · source

Poison sumac: Habitat — HabitatPhoto: Kivi Snavely · CC0 · source

Key features

Woody shrub or small tree, 5-20 ft, in wet ground
Compound leaves of 7-13 smooth-edged leaflets on a red-tinged leaf stalk
Drooping clusters of smooth, whitish-gray berries in late summer and fall
All parts, including dormant twigs, can cause a severe urushiol rash

What it gets mistaken for

Staghorn sumacHarmless
Upright red fuzzy cones, toothed leaflets, fuzzy twigs, drier sites.
See the card →

Warnings

Never burn it: smoke can cause severe lung reactions.

In season

Identifiable in leaf and in fall fruit; oils remain in winter twigs.

Habitat

Swamps, bogs and wet thickets.

Educational reference only. Never eat a wild plant or mushroom based on a website or app. Confirm with an experienced forager, your local extension office, or a mycological club. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 for severe symptoms.