I have not heard a lot here about it but its dried berries are used in middle eastern recipes and it is used to make teas, jams and flavored honeys. Native Americans use it as well. Sun tea and lemonades.
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It is pretty common in my part of Eastern Kentucky. I have friends who have made tea and seasoning with it, but I have not yet myself. I’ve tasted the tea – it’s pleasant and refreshing. I have not used the ground seasoning but this reminds me that I’m intrigued by that possibility.
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Abundant in the northeast but I suspect it peters out as one goes south. It’s one of those trees that provide some flavor and some medicinal qualities, but I wouldn’t go crazy trying to grow it far from it’s zone. Too much effort for too little return. The same reason that I quit trying to grow passionflower here in Northern NY…
my 2 cents 
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I’m keeping my eyes open for an R Coriaria start.
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Also common out here in Los Angeles, especially lemonade berry varieties. I was first introduced to it as a vitamin c source; making tea from the berries and adding sugar for a delicious “lemonade”. I have a bush in a pot that needs transplanting.
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lots of sort in Rhus family, 125 species !
in middle estern for zaatar spice is Rhus coriaria
in california for lemonade is Rhus integrifolia…
Some species are even poisonous, That is why you should always identify the species in Latin and not speak with local names that could be used by other communities for another plant.
I’m actually trying to breed Sumac! So far they break down mostly into 2 subgenera crossing groups that don’t cross with each other (There exist other minor ones too, still studing).
Rhus typhina x Rhus glabra already happen naturally in the U.S.
Rhus copalina is crossable with Rhus typhina &/or Rhus glabra. The reason they don’t cross in nature is because their flowering cycles are off which is cool because that means you have have late season sumac too!
I bet some interesting things will arise from these crosses. There also exist a Chinese Sumac & a Middle Eastern/European Sumac species that are cross compatible too!
If y’all are serious about Sumac Breeding, I’ve saved seeds of Rhus typhina & Rhus copalina, lets trade!
My breeding goals are to
- Improve Sumac Flavor, make more easily harvestable clusters of different seasons.
- Discover what hidden traits appear that neither parent has when crossed.
- Are different colored fruits possible? or are they all Red? I’d love to get breed a Blue Sumac, it would sell like HOT Cakes to make natural blue colored sour flavoring instead of the artificial stuff.
Any other uses of Sumac besides dried spice & Sumacade (Lemonade but with sumac)? Can we nixtamize Corn with Sumac? I’ve also read forager sam thayer also eats the young peeled shoots of sumac, he said it was less sour & Slightly sweet. I’ve tried it & it is less sour but also more astringent, I didn’t like them. Perhaps I harvested a bad species for shoots or wrong season, IDK what do you think?
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Yea, It got poison Ivy, Mango, Cashew, Pistachio, Peppertree, & so much more! I wonder if they’re graft compatible with Sumac?
Really!? I’ve never heard of a poisonous sumac. I’ve only heard of the poison Ivy that people call Poison Sumac (Toxidendron vernix), if that’s what you are referring to. All True edible Sumac (Rhus spp.) have red berries except for Rhus taitensis which has black berries.
https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Rhus+taitensis
I wonder if it’s edible just like the North American Sumacs, Highly likely it is!
Rhus diversiloba, Rhus typhina, Rhus radicans… are poisonous
but it seems that the danger is more in the sap than in the fruits, but very little information is available.
Rhus diversiloba & Rhus radicans are the old scientific names for Poison Ivy, not Sumac (Rhus spp.). Both have been moved to the Poison Ivy genus Toxicodendron.
Rhus typhina being poisonous I don’t understand, this is the first time I’m hearing about this species being poisonous. Sap of any member of the Sumac/Cashew family can cause skin reactions to anyone allergic to mangos, cashews, Pistachios or Sumac. I’ve foraged for Rhus typhina Plenty of times, making sour Sumacade with it, I’ve also Foraged for Rhus copallinum as well. Neither is poisonous.
I have this feeling you are confusing Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) with True Sumacs (Rhus spp.). Poison sumacs have white berries just like Poison Ivy, True Edible Sumacs have red Berries & aren’t poisonous.
I had completely missed the change of some species from Rhus to Toxicodendron. Thank you, obviously yes everything that was toxic is no longer Rhus ssp.
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