Sumac; Prairie and Flame-Leaf/Smooth Sumac Rhus copallina L;. As the name implies, the leaves of this woody, deciduous shrub turn bright red in the fall. The trunks have low, rough, corky knobs, but are otherwise smooth and unfurrowed. Long (10-14”) pinnate leaves bear opposite pairs of slightly asymmetric, lance shaped leaflets. Terminal clusters of tiny greenish-white, fragrant flowers bud from the ends of this year’s growth, each with 5 petals arranged around a central disk. Flowers convert to heavy stalks of hard, dark red berries (some varieties are white). Though small and inconspicuous, sumac has many uses. The resin of this Sumac has a copal like property, and can be burned as an incense, earning it the scientific species name copallina. The stems and bark contain high levels of tannin, used for curing hides, and Amerindians crushed the berries to make lime-laced water taste palatable. The berries are a rich source of food for birds migrating through DFW in the early spring. Two nearly identical varieties grow in the area, the Prairie Flame Leaf has toothed edges on the leaves, but lacks wings on leaf stems, while the flower petals are longer, and whiter. The Smooth Flame-Leaf has a smooth, untoothed leaf margins, with flattened wings on leaf stems, while the flowers are more rounded, and have a darker colored disks, but both varieties are considered one species. (632-633) 5/10/15; 5/30/16; 5/15/17 – 5/30/17; 6/2/18; 19 no obs. 5/20/20
Note; flowers convert to dense panicles of dark red (or white), hard berries, readily eaten by migrating birds in the spring
Flame Leaf Sumac habit; a densely branching, deciduous tree with relatively smooth bark, bearing alternating, compound pinnate leaves and panicles of white flowers that convert to dense clusters of dark red berries.
Note; the relatively smooth bark lacks ridges, or scales, but has corky rough protuberances
Note; Smooth Flame Leaf Sumac have compound pinnate leaves with an odd number of asymmetrical leaflets with smooth margins, and flattened ‘wings’ between leaflets
Note; Prairie Flame Leaf Sumac have compound pinnate leaves with an odd number of nearly symmetrical leaflets with coarsely toothed margins, lacking ‘wings’ between leaflets
Note; dense terminal panicles fragrant flowers, each with five white, elongated petals arranged around a dark central disk
Note; Prairie Flame Leaf Sumac flowers have longer, thinner petals with pointed tips
Note; Smooth Flame Leaf Sumac flowers have shorter, rounded petals
Note; leaves turn a bright, dark red in the fall, remaining on the plants for some time, earning this Sumac the nick-name Flame Leaf Sumac.