← Forage Calendar mapKnow this look-alike
Poison Sumac vs Edible Sumac
These look-alikes can cause rashes or stomach upset. Identify carefully before harvesting. Edible sumacs carry upright clusters of fuzzy red berries and grow in dry open ground. Poison sumac has drooping clusters of smooth white berries and grows in wet swampy ground, and contact causes a severe rash. Red and upright is safe, white and drooping is not.
The dangerous species
⚠ do not eatPoison Sumac
Toxicodendron vernix
Unknown · Public domain
How to tell it apart
- Fruit ripens to dull yellowish white and may persist through winter. — Minnesota Wildflowers ↗
- Poison Sumac contains the toxin Urushiol, which is also found in Poison Ivy and Poison Oak and all parts of this plant are poisonous and will cause skin redness, itching, blistering, and swelling. — NC State Extension ↗
Edibles people confuse with these
If you are foraging any of these, rule out the look-alikes above every time.
The notes above are an educational starting point, not a substitute for a field guide or an experienced forager. If you are not completely certain, do not eat it.
