PLANT PROFILE
Staghorn Sumac is a low growing tree or tall bush with a picturesqe shape, fancy, velvety red fruit cones and leaves that are turning beautiful, scarlet red in autumn. It is native to eastern North America but is very popular in Europe, cultivated for its ornamental purposes. Rhus typhina (synonym Rhus hirta) is most common sumac in north of Europe, but it is not known there for its culinary and medicinal uses, which are traditions of North American Indians, sometimes still cultivated in USA. It hybrydise not only with North American Smooth Sumac - Rhus glabra and Shining Sumac - Rhus copallina that share its medicinal and culinary values and so should their hybrids. But also with Miditerranean Rhus coriaria, which fruits are popular spice in Sicilly, Turkey, Syria, Tunisia and also other countries of this region. There are also closely related, edible sumacs in China - Rhus chinensis, India - Rhus punjabensis and other South Asian countries.
If You are afraid of sumacs because you have heard about poison sumac, you have to know that it looks very differently and have white fruits while all edible sumacs have red fruits. And it is also highly unlikely to find any poison sumac if you are anywhere in Europe and even hard in its homeland in North America. Dr. Henryk Różański famous Polish herbalist claims that tiny spikes/hears, that cover leaves, fruits and young stems of Staghorn sumac can cause breathing problems, allergies or even trigger asthma attack and skin rushes when rubbed. I never heard or read anything about it from any other source, and haven't noticed it myself, though I know this plant for many years. But it sounds reasonable to me and so I advice you to check it yourself for good, before you decide to grow it near your house.
Some of North-American Indian tribes used dried berries, leaves or bark powder from Staghorn Sumac in mix with tobacco, for smoking during peace pipe ceremonies.
Some of North-American Indian tribes used dried berries, leaves or bark powder from Staghorn Sumac in mix with tobacco, for smoking during peace pipe ceremonies.
Different parts of Rhus typhina plant are used to make different colors of dye, the berries itself can dye fabric red, brown or black, depends on how it was prepared and on what stage of growth it was harvested.
CULTIVATION AND HARVESTING
Staghorn sumac is easy to grow bush that is quickly turning into small beautiful tree. It can grown 3m height in just 3 years but usually stops growing up after reaching about 5m. Its crown width is usually bigger than its height and it have majestic shape that looks wonderful especially after leaves turning scarlet red and gold before they drop in late fall. Its crimson fruit cones that appear in late summer are also very ornamental. They are much more vivid than its greeny-yellow flowers and lasts much longer. It is giving its charm, staying at the tops of brunches even for whole winter, but if you want to use it in your kitchen, pick it as soon as it will turn fully red. Don't wait till rains will wash away most of its flavor or it'll start to rot. After harvesting (the whole red clusters) you can use it fresh, freeze it for later or crumble into small pieces and dry. The bark should be collected during spring or summer, and dried.
CULINARY USES
Staghorn Sumac fruits have nicely sour taste and soaked in cold water are giving pleasant lemonade like drink, which is old traditional Cherokee beverage called Quallah (usually drunk with added honey). They can also be used as a lemon juice or vinegar substitute or brewed into wine.
Staghorn sumac is easy to grow bush that is quickly turning into small beautiful tree. It can grown 3m height in just 3 years but usually stops growing up after reaching about 5m. Its crown width is usually bigger than its height and it have majestic shape that looks wonderful especially after leaves turning scarlet red and gold before they drop in late fall. Its crimson fruit cones that appear in late summer are also very ornamental. They are much more vivid than its greeny-yellow flowers and lasts much longer. It is giving its charm, staying at the tops of brunches even for whole winter, but if you want to use it in your kitchen, pick it as soon as it will turn fully red. Don't wait till rains will wash away most of its flavor or it'll start to rot. After harvesting (the whole red clusters) you can use it fresh, freeze it for later or crumble into small pieces and dry. The bark should be collected during spring or summer, and dried.
While most of Staghorn sumacs are dioecious which means they have either male or female flowers, there are also some that have both and can self pollinate. Rhus typhina can adapt to any soil and nearly any conditions ( at least in temperate climate zones ), so it is not the question of where it will feel good, but where You will feel good with it ( though not poisonous like Poison Sumac, it might cause allergic reactions ). It is hardy to -30'C and can stand severe heats and droughts, the only thing it seems to dislike is swampy, boggy ground and dark shade. It usually spreads through its rhizomes creating colonies of bushes around mother plants so it is better to start control it before it will become quite invasive.
CULINARY USES
Staghorn Sumac fruits have nicely sour taste and soaked in cold water are giving pleasant lemonade like drink, which is old traditional Cherokee beverage called Quallah (usually drunk with added honey). They can also be used as a lemon juice or vinegar substitute or brewed into wine.
Dried, grounded fruits of Rhus coriaria (identical in taste to those of Rhus typhina) are a popular spice in Middle East and Mediterranean area, called simply Sumac - which means red in Syrian language. It is added to kebabs, roasted chickens, fish dishes, stews, pizzas, rice, potatoes and salads. It is also an ingredient of some of many variations of popular Arab spices mix called Za'atar, that is based on Origanum syriacum.
Young shoots of Rhus typhina can be peeled and eaten raw, steamed, boiled or roasted. It tastes mild, quite like asparagus and can be added to soups, stews or stir-fries.
MEDICINAL USES
Rhus typhina have been traditionally used by many tribes of North American Indians, as a medicinal plant for many common ailments, and some American herbalists cultivate this knowledge. Which is unfortunately mostly entirely unknown in Europe and elsewhere, where this plant is popular as an ornamental plant.
Young shoots of Rhus typhina can be peeled and eaten raw, steamed, boiled or roasted. It tastes mild, quite like asparagus and can be added to soups, stews or stir-fries.
MEDICINAL USES
Rhus typhina have been traditionally used by many tribes of North American Indians, as a medicinal plant for many common ailments, and some American herbalists cultivate this knowledge. Which is unfortunately mostly entirely unknown in Europe and elsewhere, where this plant is popular as an ornamental plant.
Staghorn Sumac fruits are consumed raw, dried or in form of infusion, for coughs, cold, flu, fevers, diabetes, to aid digestion and stop diarrhea, stomach upset, bowels complains, and chewed to stop vomiting and as a remedy for bed-wetting. The Infusions are used as a gargle for sore throat and tonsillitis.
The fruits are astringent, cooling, antimicrobial, diuretic and purify the blood. It contains mainly malic acid, tannins, polyphenols, and amino acids, vitamins: C, B1, B2, B6, B12, cyanocobalamin, nicotinamide and biotin. It is also good source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and sodium.
Dried bark is rich in tannins and act antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, hemostatic, galactogogue and tonic. In form of decoction it is used to treat diarrhea, fevers, piles, kidney or bladder infections, water retention, kidney or bladder stones, painful urination, general debility, uterine or anal prolapse, and to to stimulate milk production in nursing mothers (small pieces of the wood were also eaten for this purpose).
The leaves are astringent and highly antioxidant, they are rich in hydrolyzed tannins and as infusions have been taken as a treatment for asthma, diarrhea, urinary infections, syphilis, and used as a gargle for sore throat. Water-acetonic extract from R. typhina leaves has shown interferon-inducing and antitumoral activities, and a methanol extract displays high antiprotease activity. The dried leaves were smoked by the Native Americans for treating asthma.
The roots are astringent, blood purifying, diuretic and emetic, infusion of the roots were used for hemorhages, and combined with Echinacea purpurea has been used in the treatment of venereal disease.
The flowers are astringent and stomachic, in form of infusion it has been used to treat stomach pains.
Sap is used applied on warts, but in some people it might cause allergic rash. A poultice of the roots has been used to treat boils. A fruit or leaf poultice was used for treating rashes caused by poison ivy. Dried bark can be used to made antiseptic salve.
Sources
'' Medicinal Plants of Native America, Part 1 '' - Daniel E. Moerman, University of Michigan Press 1986
Antioxidant capacities of polyphenols from Sumac (Rhus typhina L.) leaves inprotection of erythrocytes against oxidative damage - Ewa Olchowik, Agnieszka Sciepuk, Saidmukhtar Mavlyanov, Nodira Abdullajanova, Maria Zamaraeva
http://firstways.com/2011/08/23/how-and-why-to-eat-sumac/
http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Rhus+typhina
http://theepicentre.com/spice/sumac/
http://www.thejaps.org.pk/docs/v-22-2/44.pdf
http://rozanski.li/?p=81
http://telemedicine.org/botanica/bot6.htm
http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/47400
http://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1380377737_Borchardt%20et%20al.pdf
http://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/kings/rhus-glab.html
http://pjbs.org/pjnonline/fin1548.pdf
Antioxidant capacities of polyphenols from Sumac (Rhus typhina L.) leaves inprotection of erythrocytes against oxidative damage - Ewa Olchowik, Agnieszka Sciepuk, Saidmukhtar Mavlyanov, Nodira Abdullajanova, Maria Zamaraeva
http://firstways.com/2011/08/23/how-and-why-to-eat-sumac/
http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?LatinName=Rhus+typhina
http://theepicentre.com/spice/sumac/
http://www.thejaps.org.pk/docs/v-22-2/44.pdf
http://rozanski.li/?p=81
http://telemedicine.org/botanica/bot6.htm
http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/47400
http://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1380377737_Borchardt%20et%20al.pdf
http://www.henriettes-herb.com/eclectic/kings/rhus-glab.html
http://pjbs.org/pjnonline/fin1548.pdf
http://temperate.theferns.info/plant/Rhus+typhina
https://www.sarcraft.com/news/2019/8/22/wildediblewednesday-822-staghorn-sumac
