Plant Family: Anacardiaceae
Growth Form: Shrub to small tree that tends to form thickets via spreading rhizomes.
Leaves: Alternate, once-compound, rachis obviously winged, 15 – 30 cm long; there are 9 to 23 leaflets that are usually not toothed.
Bark: Brown-gray, rough, with raised lenticels, the U-shaped leaf scars are shallow.
Flowers: Yellow-white, in terminal clusters in late summer.
Fruits: Dark red, hairy, individually 1 cm in diameter, but held in large pyramidal terminal clusters; fall into winter.
Habitat: Dry meadows, woodland openings, roadsides.
Range: Southern Maine and New Hampshire south to Florida and Texas.
Key Feature: The winged rachis will distinguish it from other Sumacs.
Comments: Winged Sumac is an important food plant for many birds, which eat the seeds, and for deer and small mammals, which browse the leaves and twigs.
