Sumac plant, a bushy shrub of the Anacardiaceae family, has light gray or reddish stems. The leaves are pinnate with eleven serrated elliptic leaflets, hairy on the underside. The berries are dried and crushed to form a coarse purple-red powder. The fruits look like dense clusters.
Sumac juice is used in salad dressings and marinades. The powder is mixed with stews and vegetable and chicken casseroles. Propagation is by seed. A lot of other varieties of Sumac can be found in temperate regions of the world.
