staghorn sumac
The Indian lemonade plant
Sumac is a small tree or bush with narrow, pointed leaves. It tells
people when fall arrives. Its leaves are usually the first to change
color. They turn from green to a bright, glowing red.
Near the end of summer, bunches of red berries grow on some kinds of
sumac trees. The American Indians made a drink from those berries. They
dried the berries, mashed them, and mixed them with water. This made a
sour, cooling drink that looked and tasted somewhat like pink lemonade.
One kind of sumac has white berries that hang down instead of sticking
up as the red berries do. The Indians stayed away from that kind of
sumac. It is poisonous and makes skin burn and itch!
