Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)
Flowering Trees, Bushes and Shrubs of Sleepy Hollow Lake From All-Creatures.org Art and Photo Journals and Galleries Directory

(Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) - 09) This is a closer look at fruit and flowers of the staghorn sumac.  In response to our previous comment about making pink lemonade from the fruit, Peter Tiziani worte, "After hearing about sumac tea for years, I tried it last year, and highly recommend it. Rather than soaking the berries in cold water, I bring it to a boil to "pasteurize" it. Although the raw berries have little aroma, when you bring them to a boil they release a wonderful fragrance that's unlike anything else I know of. The tea comes out a beautiful rose color, and it's quite tart. Taste wise, it's similar to both ice tea and lemonade, but with an additional "fruity" component. I consider it to be superior to iced tea in both flavor and appearance. Sometimes I make the tea concentrated (at which time it's a beautiful ruby color) and add it to other drinks, as it creates a "new" tropical fruit flavor that's surprisingly good. It's unfortunate that sumac tea has never become a regular part of American culture, because it's both incredibly abundant and it makes a wonderful summer drink."
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