Poison sumac, or Toxicodendron Vernix, is a plant native to the eastern United States and Canada. Most people will experience a painful allergic reaction if they touch any part of this plant, such as red itchy spots on the skin or blisters. Learn how to identify poisonous sumacs by their appearance and habitat, so you can avoid unwanted occurrences.
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Method 1 of 3: Identifying Toxic Sumac
Step 1. Look for shrubs or trees in scattered positions
Poison sumac usually grows on shrubs or trees up to 1.5-6 meters tall, but sometimes can grow taller. The branches may or may not have foliage all over. However, the growth pattern of poison sumac tends to produce sparse foliage, rather than lush and dense foliage.
Large sumac trees, like other species of sumac, often grow thin, elongated branches that slant or descend downwards
Step 2. Be careful with small plants that have leaves that taper upwards
Before poison sumac grows into a bush or tree, it will grow relatively upright, with small branches and red stalks growing along the main trunk. In this case, the leaves and twigs are usually curved upwards, especially in the treetop area.
Step 3. Look at the two rows of leaves on each stalk
Poison sumac has a pinnate leaf structure; meaning that each stalk has two parallel rows of leaves along it. Each stalk usually has between six and twelve leaves, plus a single leaf at the end of the twig. Young stalks are usually red or reddish-brown in color, but these colors may fade to brown or gray as the plant ages.
Technically, leaves with a pinnate structure are called bundles of leaflets, but these leaves look like ordinary leaves, which are about 5–10 cm long
Step 4. Recognize the shape of the poisonous sumac leaf
The leaves on this plant have an oval or oblong shape, which narrows at each end. The sides of the leaf may look wavy or smooth, but the "no" will have the "jagged" appearance that some non-toxic sumac trees have.
Step 5. Learn other attributes of poisonous sumac leaves
Poison sumac is a deciduous plant, so its leaves will change color throughout the year. Newly grown leaves will be bright orange, then turn light green in spring and summer, turn red in fall, and then fall completely. Throughout the year, the undersides of poison sumac leaves may have a smooth or hairy texture, making it difficult to identify the plant.
Warning: Falling leaves may still be toxic to touch. Never burn leaves or wood collected from areas adjacent to poison sumac trees, as inhaling the fumes from burning poison sumac can be dangerous or even deadly
Step 6. Identify the flowers of poison sumac
In spring and summer, poison sumac may have pale yellow or green flowers. These small flowers grow in clusters. The green stalks grow apart from the red stalks of the poisonous sumac.
Step 7. Get to know the berries
In summer or fall, this plant will replace its flowers with small green or yellow berries. Throughout the fall and winter, these berries will ripen into clusters of white and gray berries, and will cascade down from the stem to a length of up to 30 cm.
- If the fruit is red, and the rest of the plant is as described above, the plant is most likely a non-toxic member of the sumac family.
- The berries in this poisonous sumac may have been eaten by certain animals or fall naturally in winter. Don't assume they will always be on the plant.
Step 8. In winter, look for white berries or empty berry stalks
Poisonous sumac is still poisonous even without the leaves, but it can be harder to spot. If you're lucky, you'll find clusters of white or pale yellow berries hanging from the stalks of poison sumac, and you can take this as a warning. However, after the first few weeks of winter you will notice more of the bony, empty stalks hanging from the branches, similar in appearance to light brown grape stalks.
Step 9. Avoid the gray bark of the tree, which you find in poison sumac habitats
Identifying the bark of a poison sumac tree can be difficult once all the leaves and berries have fallen. Use the following habitat areas to determine which areas are most likely to be overgrown by sumac, and avoid any trees that have rough, gray bark.
Method 2 of 3: Identifying the Habitat of Toxic Sumac
Step 1. Know the areas where poison sumac can grow
Unlike its relatives, poison ivy and poison oak, poison sumac grows confined to a relatively small area of the world. If you're outside of the following areas, your chances of encountering poison sumac are slim and nearly zero:
- Ontario, Quebec and other provinces in eastern Canada
- Minnesota, Wisconsin, and all states of the United States to the east, including all of New England
- Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and all states of the United States to the east, including the southern part
- Texas, and all states east of Texas close to the southern United States border, including Florida
Step 2. Look for poison sumac in damp or waterlogged soil
Poison sumac thrives in wet soil, or even in standing water. Poison sumac most likely won't grow in a dry area all year round.
In dry weather, be careful if crossing dry riverbeds or dry mud which indicates that the area is usually wet
Step 3. Don't worry about finding poison sumac in the highlands
Poisonous sumac cannot grow in plains with an altitude of 1,200 m above sea level or more. If you are at an altitude of more than 1,500 m above sea level, then you will not find poison sumac at all.
Poison sumac plant families such as poison ivy and poison oak are also limited to the lowlands, so you don't have to be wary of poisonous plants in the highlands
Method 3 of 3: Treating Allergies If Exposed to Toxic Sumac
Step 1. Use a towel that has been soaked in alcohol immediately after coming into contact with poisoned sumac
If you recognize poison sumac and know that you have come into contact with any part of the plant, pour the rubbing alcohol over the exposed skin as quickly as possible. Since urushiol, the toxin present in toxic sumac, cannot be completely removed by alcohol, use a paper towel or other solid material to rub the alcohol-soaked skin. This may be necessary to remove a significant amount of the toxin.
- Warning: In the meantime, alcohol can make your skin more susceptible to further exposure. This is because alcohol will clean the skin's natural oils that protect the skin. Therefore, if possible, avoid areas where poisonous plants grow for 24 hours after using alcohol.
- A better alternative is to use surfactants to bind to the skin's natural oils before they penetrate the dermis. Wash the exposed area thoroughly, scrubbing and rinsing well. Repeat. Do not touch exposed clothing as the oil will settle on the surface and transfer to the skin.
- Use hand protection during this process, if your hands are not already exposed.
Step 2. Wash with water
Whether you use alcohol or not, scrub the exposed area with plenty of water. You can also use soap, cleaning agents, or other special cleaning products. But wash frequently so that the cleaning agent doesn't dry on your skin along with the removed toxins.
Step 3. Treat the red spots on the skin with allergy relievers or antihistamines, or lotions
If blisters or red spots appear, you can take an antihistamine to reduce itching. You can also apply calamine, hydrocortisone lotion, or an oatmeal bath for the same purpose.
- If you have large, oozing blisters, see your doctor for proper treatment.
- The fluid that comes out of the blister is non-toxic and will not spread spots on the skin.
Step 4. Go to the doctor for more serious allergy cases
If you think you've inhaled toxic sumac fumes, see a doctor immediately even if symptoms haven't fully developed. Other serious situations that require a doctor's attention include spots on the face or pubic area, or spots on any area of the body that don't go away after a week has passed.
Step 5. Wash utensils and clothing that has been exposed to toxic sumac
If you leave sumac oil on your equipment and clothes, the toxins present in it can spread the spots on the skin months or years after the first appearance of the allergy. Wear hand protection and wash equipment with soap and water, alcohol, or bleach mixed with water. Store clothes in a bag when moving, then wash them with soap and hot water.
Tips
- The best way to prevent the appearance of spots on the skin from contact with toxic sumac is to wear long-sleeved clothing, long pants, and closed-toe shoes when traveling outside.
- Toxic urushiol is an allergenic substance in poison sumac, poison ivy, and poison oak, although it is usually most commonly found in poison sumac. People can become allergic to urushiol over time, so don't assume you're allergic if you don't have any spots on your skin on the first reaction.
