About Sumac Leaves

Compound Leaves

• Sumacs feature compound leaves with one leaf composed of different parts. A main stem, often quite long, is the center of the leaf. Numerous small leaflets attach to the central axis with the number of leaflets depending upon the species. Certain types of sumac possess fine hairs on either their central axis or on the leaflets themselves. Others have no such hairs.

Leaflet Numbers

• The leaves of staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina, contain between 13 and 27 leaflets. Shining sumac, Rhus copallina, has fewer leaflets with each leaf featuring between 9 and 21. Poison sumac, Toxicodendron vernix, has between 5 and 13 making it a bit easier to identify. Smooth sumac, Rhus glabra, has as many as 31, while fragrant sumac, Rhus aromatica, has just three leaflets per central stem.

Leaf Size

• The size of both the central axis and the leaflets vary from species to species. For example, a staghorn sumac leaf stem can be 24 inches in length with individual leaflets between 2 and 5 inches long. Smooth sumac leaf stems rarely exceed 18 inches. Poison sumac's stems grow between 7 and 12 inches with the longest leaflets about 3.5 inches in length.

Color

• Most sumac leaves are dark shades of green during the warmer months. Those of smooth sumac are quite vibrant when combined with the red central stem. In autumn, the sumacs put on a gaudy display of hues with most changing to bright red, orange, yellow or purple. When planted in groups, the sumacs provide large-scale color come fall.

Warning

• The poison sumac is described as one of North America's most dangerous plants. The sap from this sumac, which exists in the stems, fruits and leaves, is clear, turning to a hue of black when exposed to the air. It can precipitate a terrible rash on a person that encounters and handles it.