A few leaves atop one of our sumacs have turned bright orange, the first fall color of the year. Though we have plenty of hot, humid summer weather to endure, sumacs are almost always the first trees to offer a glimpse of autumn.
Sumacs are represented by more than 150 species of shrubs and small trees across the globe. They are members of the cashew family, which also includes pistachios. While our local, smooth sumacs do not provide food for humans, they do yield pointed clusters of red berries that are held through the winter and consumed by a variety of songbirds.
Though relatively short-lived, most sumacs spread by suckering and are hardy plants. These traits are reflected by large stands of sumac shrubs and trees along highways and country roads.
