Poison Sumac Information
Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) would make a very attractive ornamental shrub or small tree, were it not for the toxic sap it produces. This sap contains oil called urushiol, to which the Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac Information Center says half the population is allergic.
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Geography
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Poison sumac grows in moist swamps, bogs, hardwood forests and spots that typically flood, says the National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees. The plant has a range throughout the eastern half of the continent from southern Quebec southward, but is not common in much of this area.
Identification
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While it can grow as tall as 25 feet, poison sumac is frequently no larger than a shrub. Poison sumac features compound leaves, with a reddish central axis holding from five to 13 leaflets that grow in rows opposite each other, with one at the long axis's end. The elliptical leaflets can be 3 1/2 inches long and have a shiny green color above, with a paler tint on their undersides; the leaflets change to orange or scarlet early in fall. The plant's green late summer flowers turn into whitish berries by fall.
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Warning
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You must come into contact with poison sumac's urushiol in order to develop the itchy red rash, which is severe in many individuals. The oil can remain viable for years on any surface. It is of paramount importance to avoid burning poison sumac, as the airborne urushiol can bring about harm if anyone is exposed to it.
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