smooth sumac
Rhus glabra L. var. occidentalis Torr.
Traditional Food Use
The berries, while unpleasant to smell, are edible and were eaten during times of famine. An infusion of the leaves or berries makes a refreshing tea, reminiscent of lemonade.
Berries eaten fresh
Fruits eaten by children.
Medicinal Documentation
Do not boil the tea, simply steep the plant parts in warm or cold water. A decoction is used to treat excessive
Leaves are used for tuberculosis.
Chew the bark and swallow the juice as a treatment for colds.
Ceremonial & Cultural Notes
Sumac leaves are sometimes mixed with tobacco for smoking. Additional commentary: The term “mixing” refers to this use of the leaves in smoking. Another term for smooth sumac is aromatic sumac or Ho a to’ o nuts (“smoke issues”) in reference to prayers in ceremonies. Sumac leaves were occasionally smoked with tobacco; this was the case in the Sun Dance in the 1940’s, but Jim Spear indicated that the taste is quite bitter so this is not often done.595
The plant leaves are dried, mixed with tobacco and smoked to "purify" the body and mind.
Material/Artifact: Leaves added to tobacco for smoking
Botanical Reference
Parts Documented: leaf, fruit_or_berry, leaves, fruit
Distribution: Upland prairies and openings of woods; dry slopes, plains and foothills; southern British Columbia, Canada to New Mexico