Specimen record
Staghorn Sumac
Rhus typhina
Description
A colonial shrub or small tree that forms dense thickets along roadsides and field edges. Staghorn sumac is named for its velvety-hairy branches that resemble the fuzzy antlers of a male deer in velvet. The dense, cone-shaped clusters of fuzzy red fruits persist through winter and can be steeped in water to make a tart, lemonade-like drink. It is not related to poison sumac, which grows in swamps and has white berries.
Identification tips
- 1Thick branches covered in dense velvety brown hairs (like deer antlers in velvet)
- 2Large pinnately compound leaves with 11–31 lance-shaped, serrated leaflets
- 3Dense, upright, cone-shaped clusters of fuzzy dark red fruits (drupes)
- 4Colonial — forms thickets via root suckers
- 5Brilliant orange-red to scarlet autumn foliage; milky sap in stems
Specimen & preservation notes
Press individual leaflets rather than whole compound leaves (too large). Include a section of the fuzzy stem and a portion of the fruit cluster. The velvety stem hairs and red fruit preserve well. Clearly label this as NOT poison sumac to avoid confusion.
Habitats
Collection calendar
| Wk | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||||
| 2 | ||||||||
| 3 | ||||||||
| 4 |
Collection notes
Season check
Observed bloom also extends into July.
Flowering records: 159 iNaturalist observations, Massachusetts · Nearby: 482 observations within 25 km