Sumac part of Rhus genus

One of the most colorful shrub/tree of this fall season in the Wimberley Hill country is the Sumac. This fall it seems particularly striking with a full coverage of red/orange/yellow leaves. I have seen any number of people along the roadways snapping pictures of themselves and their children or just the small trees themselves as a special remembrance for proof that even Texans can show off their fall foliage.

For some unexplained reason, I used to think of sumacs as trash trees. Now that I know a little more about it, I can actually treasure this tree and even wish we had more of them. Another thing I used to do was pronounce the name of it like “shumac.” As a matter of fact. The dictionary does give both pronunciations, but I believe the much preferred one is soo-mack. (I don’t know how to make the proper dictionary markings with my computer, but I trust you can figure them out.)

The sumac is one of about 35 species of flowering plants in the genus Rhus and related dioecious shrubs and small trees. The height can range from about 3.3 feet to 32.8 feet. They have pinnately compound leaves and bear fruits in clusters of range to russet with leaves that turn vividly scarlet in the fall. A beautiful sight! They can be somewhat invasive but along our highways, this is good. Animals love the cover of these small trees.

Believe it or not, Martha Stewart includes some recipes using sumac in a few of her cookbooks. One is titled “Sumac Dusted Salmon with Broccolini.” I’m not ready to try this just yet! By the way, one variety of sumac is poisonous but my tree books indicate that it does not grow in the hill country. (You might want to check that out with some local experts.)

There are numerous varieties of sumac in the Wimberley area, but I believe that one of the most common is Staghorn sumac. I will try to study them more as time goes on. In the meantime, enjoy their spectacular color and collect some of their seeds for your own landscape.