Staghorn vs Smooth Sumac - How to Identify Sumacs

In this video, I am using iNaturalist to show the differences between Staghorn Sumac and Smooth Sumac. You will be able to identify these two plants, as well as distinguish between some of their look-alikes.
It should be noted that Staghorn Sumac and Smooth Sumac can hybridize in some areas, especially in Michigan. The hybrid is often called Northern Sumac (Rhus x borealis) and shows intermediate phenotypes, ranging from very minor or sparse pubescence along the branches and stem, to smooth branches but hairy fruits.
Both Staghorn and Smooth sumac have:
- Compound leaf with serrated leaflets
- Non-winged rachis (space between leaflets on branch)
- Red fruit, red-ish color branches and green stems.
Only Staghorn sumac has:
- Pubescent (hairy) features including fruit, branch and stem
Only Smooth sumac has:
- Glabrous (smooth) features including fruit, branch and stem.
Some common look-alikes are:
- Eastern Black Walnut and other Juglans species
- Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)

[@JesPiddlin-Author]

Excellent video! You don't just show us and hope we remember. You HELP us remember. I appreciate that!

[@botanicaltreasures2408]

Great sumac tutorial. Really helpful! Sumac has outstanding, deep red autumn color.

[@arlenesemerjian4324]

Finally! I can see the difference! Thank you so much! I bought some staghorn and then other sumac came into my yard. Thanks again!

[@fortheearth]

Loved this informative video. Thank you and best wishes!

[@UnderAPileOfScrap]

Thank you for showing an example of the Shiny/Shining Sumac. We have a start of something in the landscape and I said it was a Sumac and hubby said it's black walnut (neither of which do I want). The leaves are much too shiny to be walnut, but it was that "wing leaf" that helped to correctly identify it.

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Awesome - I'm glad this video helped you ID it!

[@Khaoz]

Thank you Andrew, very cool!

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Thanks, Joel!

[@ovulatinggrashopper4703]

Thank you this is a great video, very detailed

[@Celticslovr]

Thanks for the video!

[@kimforry1246]

Very well done. Now to figure out poison sumac. Thank you

[@robertarnsworth2464]

Poison sumac looks nothing at all like staghorn or smooth sumac.

[@lfelliott]

Great video. I'd be tempted to mark the cutleaf sumac as "Captive/Cultivated". What are your thoughts?

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

That's a good question! I'm not sure how often these varieties escape cultivation and establish in the wild, and it's definitely hard to tell if some observations of the cutleaf variety are planted or not. I find that outside of North America, like in Europe, it's a little more common to see these varieties because R. typhina is a commonly planted, non-native ornamental.

[@WeezieV]

How about pouch galls on the sumac? I bought a house and I'm busy learning everything here. I have some sumac that I thought were Tree of Heaven but Tree of Heaven has stinky rotten nut smelling leaves and they are not serrated. They look identical from a distance. I have both and just realized today. Please discuss.

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Lisa Vulovich These two species of sumac have serrated leaflets, while Tree of Heaven does not. That is a good way to tell them apart, in addition to the smell. Sumac Gall Aphids (M. rhois) are relatively common and don’t cause too much harm other than maybe damaging a few leaves on a mature Sumac.

[@JohnSlack-xj9vz]

I'm trying to figure out how to make a sumac shelter weave it together maybe then keep the in side cut back

[@jackjones9460]

In Texas, does only Prairie Flame Leaf sumac grow?

[@alliehamilton-calhoun162]

Im trying to get to 70% native plants in my garden. I planted a smooth sumac last year that was doing really well. Unfortunately, last week, a group of either plant-ignorant or apathetic city workers trampled through my backyard to get to a utility box. My tree was nowhere near the box or buried cable, but they broke it off at the ground anyway. Is there a chance that it will recover?

[@boriszawotski1392]

So any sumac with the fuzzy thing on top is edible

[@JesPiddlin-Author]

Until today, I thought all sumac was poisonous. Also, I've asked people for years to tell me what that brilliant red/orange plant was that grew along the highway. Nobody ever had an answer. Now, I will tell others, rather than asking.

[@iC0NB0Y]

That's awesome! Before I knew this plant, I was always super curious about those upright, bright red fruits on the side of the road. Now I know :)

[@grandwonder5858]

So, INaturalist App allows me to post a picture of a plant that I have trouble identifying and there would be experts in the field to help me identify it for me? This would be awesome if that is the case because I have several plants that I want them identified but I don't know what they are since I couldn't find them on any KZbin video. I wonder if there is also a similar app for mushroom identifications. Thanks a lot Andrew for posting this video, I have always wanted to learn how to identify the different Sumacs! I especially want to learn how to identify Poison Sumac and if you can make a video of it I would greatly appreciate it!

[@iC0NB0Y]

Yes! Make an iNaturalist account, and upload anything that can’t identify (plants, fungi, etc). Let me know or tag me in one of your observations - I’m @conboy. I will try to help ID!

[@grandwonder5858]

@@iC0NB0Y Okay buddy, I will look into creating an account with that site! Thanks buddy!

[@GoRose]

I'm in CT and rent an in law apartment. There are tress here supporting coverage to neighbors. The light green berries were there yesterday, the trees were beautiful. Today I got home from work and all berries are gone. Are you able to tell me what happaned?

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Do you know which kind of tree it was? My guess is that birds ate them!

[@GoRose]

@@Andrew_the_Arborist it's poison sumac, but there were over 100 of the berry clusters on Sunday and every one of them has been stripped on Monday. Their next stage was to turn red, now they are all stripped.

[@truthseekertoday2377]

So which ones are not poison?

[@truthseekertoday2377]

What time of year to harvest? Thanks for the video.

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Neither of these are poisonous. There is a "poison sumac" that isn't in the Rhus genus, but it doesn't quite look like either of these. As for harvesting, I'm not quite sure when the best time is for consumption. I have made tea with some fruits once they are red with no problems.

[@GetReady4LiftOff]

Staghorn named after deer w fuzzy horns is OK, not poisonous

[@ATLTee]

:)

[@tomthomas334]

fuzzy balls is staghorn

[@JohnSlack-xj9vz]

I'm trying to figure out how to make a sumac shelter weave it together maybe then keep the in side cut back