The staghorn sumac seed heads are beginning to change color and are now pale yellow, but as summer progresses the seed heads will become a crimson color. If you are not familiar with the staghorn ...

Soaking the fruit in cold water also makes a tart and refreshing summer drink. Sugar bush (Rhus ovata) has similar qualities, but its habitat is inland whereas lemonade berry’s is more coastal.

Laurel sumac (Melosma laurina) exhibits vigorous growth throughout the year. After a wildfire, it is the first plant to recover as it sends up new shoots from the remains of its woody base.

Recently, after writing about mangoes, I received the following email from Steve Huffman: “It might be worth mentioning that mango sap can cause skin irritation similar to poison ivy. When I was a ...

Laurel sumac (Melosma laurina) exhibits vigorous growth throughout the year. After a wildfire, it is the first plant to recover as it sends up new shoots from the remains of its woody base.

Michigan's ecosystem is diverse, stunning and perhaps deadly. Growing in the state's woodlands are poisonous plants. Here are six to avoid.

Poison ivy is the most common of the three, Brown says, and it grows throughout many parts of the U.S. Poison oak is more often found out West, she says, while poison sumac tends to grow near ...

The staghorn sumac is a sensory delight, from its toothed leaf edges to its fuzzy fruit and young stems. Though it is related to poison sumac, a staghorn can be handled without fear.

The two most common sumacs in our area include smooth and winged sumac. There is also a small bush-like species called fragrant sumac that only has three leaflets. There is a poison sumac that can ...

Sumacs are in the same family as poison ivy, but most species lack the irritating oil. In the past sumac had several uses. Native Americans rarely smoked pure tobacco, but would create blends that ...