Poison sumac

Florida Forest Plants

Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix)

Poison sumac grows in swamps, bogs, depressions, and other wet sites. It can also be found in acidic pine woods and shady hardwood forests. Poison sumac is found in most of the eastern United States, between Texas and Florida in the south, to Minnesota and Quebec in the north. Poison sumac, along with the other species in the Toxicodendron genus, has a severe contact poison that causes extreme inflammation, swelling, and itching in susceptible individuals. The sap from the plants is found in all parts of the plant and is poisonous upon contact. Contact may be made by brushing past the leaves or the bare stems, or being exposed to smoke from burning plants. Poison sumac is much more poisonous than relatives such as poison ivy. Poison sumac may be confused
with other nonpoisonous plants, such as winged sumac (Rhus copallinum). The major difference is that winged sumac has leafy wings along the leaf stalk and has nine to twenty-three shiny leaflets, flowers in large conical clusters, and red fruits.

Identifying Characteristics
Size/Form:	Poison sumac is a woody shrub or a small, slender tree that measures 5'-20' tall. It has sparsely branching, alternately arranged stems.
Leaves:	The leaves are pinnately compound, alternate, and deciduous. Each leaf contains 7 to 15 leaflets that are usually 2" to 4" long and 1" to 2" wide, and elliptic to oblong in outline. The lower leaf surface is lighter green and the leaflet margins are entire. The small leaflet petioles and central leaf stalk are typically reddish colored. The leaves have brilliant orange to red coloring in the fall.
Fruit:	The fruit is a dry, ovoid drupe, about ¼" wide and is white to gray. The smooth fruits grow in clusters.
Stem:	New stems are smooth and reddish, but they gradually acquire lenticels and turn tan to light gray with age. These light-colored leafless stems can look deceptively like other non-toxic shrubs or trees during the winter.
Habitat:	It grows on wet areas including bays, marshes, and forest slopes.