RhusTyphina01

Rhus Typhina: Staghorn Sumac, smooth sumac, velvet sumach, sleek sumac, hairy sumac, shining sumac, scarlet sumac, fragrant sumac, dwarf sumac, Virginia sumac, upland sumac, mountain sumac, French sumac, German sumac, sugar sumac.

The large, stout, and velvety twigs of the Staghorn in winter, look so much like the branched and fuzzy antlers of a buck deer when in velvet. When cutting the twigs and branches with a knife, white, sticky, gelatinous sap oozes out onto your knife, which quickly turns black. It is only the sumac varieties that have white or somewhat yellowish berries that sag, which are poisonous (poison oak, poison sumac).

The Pawnee boiled the red berries of the Staghorn as a remedy for irregular menstruation and dysentery, and some tribes drank a cold infusion for fever and colds. The Omaha boiled the root and drank the liquid for urinary disorders. They also boiled the berries to make a wash to stop post-childbirth hemorrhage. The Creek tribe mixed the roots and berries of the sumac to infuse with tobacco to use as a cure-all for chest complaints.

The sticky white juice that turns black so quickly, was used to inject onto tooth cavities where it would relieve pain. The hardened juice contains mainly tannic and gallic acids, was made into ointments that were useful in healing scratches, cuts, wounds, and sores that had become infected. It was also used on moles and warts. The bark was peeled and steeped into a wash that was used to coagulate blood and stop bleeding. The was made into an ointment was also good for topical burns from heat and sunburn. It was also said to help in vesicular skin diseases such as eczema, ringworm, shingles, blistering of the skin, and damaged mucous membranes, ulcers, pus-ridden sores, even gangrene.

To make Indian lemonade, separate the red berries from the main flower spike, mash the red berries just enough to break the outer surface to expose the inner meat of the berry, cover with bubbling water, and remove from heat for the mixture to steep. Cool and strain with a fine cloth to remove the hairs from the flower, then sweeten with honey or brown sugar to taste. This can be served hot or cold, according to likes and dislikes.