Poison Sumac vs Staghorn Sumac
Is the sumac on my land the poison kind?
The quick tell
Feel (or rather, look at) the twigs. Staghorn Sumac twigs are covered in dense velvet fuzz, like a deer’s antler; Poison Sumac twigs are smooth and often reddish. The berries settle it: staghorn holds upright cones of fuzzy red berries, poison sumac dangles loose clusters of waxy white ones.
Field marks, side by side
| Poison Sumac | Staghorn Sumac | |
|---|---|---|
| Twigs | Smooth, hairless, often red-tinged | Densely velvety, like antler velvet |
| Berries | White to gray, drooping clusters | Red, fuzzy, upright cones |
| Leaflet edges | Smooth | Toothed |
| Habitat | Standing water: swamps, bogs, wet woods | Dry ground: roadsides, old fields, slopes |
Still not sure which one you found?
Point Huck at it. One photo identifies it on the spot - and adds it to your collection.
Get Huck - freeCommon questions
I have sumac along my driveway - is it poison sumac?
Almost certainly not. Poison Sumac grows in swamps and very wet soils. The common roadside sumacs (staghorn and smooth sumac) have red upright berry cones and toothed leaflets and are harmless - birds love the berries.
Is staghorn sumac edible?
The red berry cones are famously steeped into "sumac-ade," a lemonade-like drink, and the spice sumac comes from a related species. Only do this with clearly identified red-berried sumac - white berries mean poison sumac, full stop.