A crazy old gypsy woman once stopped me on the street and cackled, "when life gives you sumac, make lemonade!" Then she danced vivaciously off into the sunset with her tambourine. Though her message was seemingly cryptic and non-sensical, Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) was used for generations by native American Indians as a sort of lemonade-esque beverage, which is really rather simple to make. (Requisite dis-claimer: Sumac is a relation to the cashew, so if you or someone you know has a nut allergy of any kind, don't drink the juice. Also, beware of poison sumac. It's poisonous.) If you live someplace more northernly, and can't grow citrus trees of your own for legit lemonade, consider throwin' down on a grove of sumacs.
Sumacs can be used to achieve a whole plethora of effects in the Garden man-scape. Most importantly, it needs to be understood that sumac is an inherently expansive plant, and spreads with plague-like efficiency. You can keep Staghorns in check by boxing in their roots, or using them in a sort of potted situation. I grew up with a sumac right outside our front door as a great looking specimen kept at bay with rocks as mulch. As an ornamental tree-shrub-thing, sumac has an excellent array of features. (Insert used car sales-man voice here) You'll notice first the fuzzy hairs on the branches that look a lot like the antlers of a prized buck, which is where this guy gets his name. The leaves have a habit in the fall of turning vibrant red and looks as though someone took highlighter markers out and scribbled all over the leaves. As these trees get taller, the lower branches can be trimmed off to create a sort of palm tree effect with the remaining canopy, and makes an excellent space underneath for placing a Slip n' Slide.
I think the most obvious feature of the Staghorn Sumac is it's red flower berry contraption which forms in an standing position. (This thing is actually a Drupe, which is a type of seed, like a peach) An array of sumac drupes in the winter is one of the few reminders that the cold desolate wasteland you call home does still have some life left in it. Sumac drupes also make excellent clothes ruiners, as the berries themselves are actually white. The intense red/maroon color comes from a sort of powdery waxy substance that covers the outside of the drupe and is also the part used for sumac lemonade, so if you happen to huck one at your brother's new white polo, be prepared for serious noogies.
Rhus typhina can grow upwards of 15 to 30 feet high, and turns from single plant to way too many plants pretty fast. Don't be afraid to weed whack the life out of new volunteer shoots who might happen to pop up. The leaves will drop in the fall as these are deciduous, but are so vibrantly colored, you won't need to rake 'em up. Don't worry about watering sumacs, or how much sun they get; they do fine with whatever. These are native to the northeast US and southeast Canada, and will typically grow just about wherever you put 'em. Kinda reminds me of MacGuyver. Staghorn sumac will treat ya right, just about any way you use it, for lemonade, slip n' slides, dye-grenades, or anything you devise. Just relax and enjoy the wild color explosion of Rhus typhina.
photo credit:
1] http://www.reocities.com/Hollywood/2063/gypsyC.jpg
2] http://www.flyoverpeople.net/news/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/wild-sumac-lemonade.jpg
3] http://healthyhomegardening.com/images/gardengeek/staghorn_sumac_220801.jpg
4] http://birdworms.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/sumac-berries.jpg
5] http://www.treetopics.com/rhus_typhina/staghorn_sumac_7341.jpg
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