Q&A for How to Identify Poison Sumac

It starts out most often as a mild itching that slowly turns into a red rash. Shortly after this, bumps will start to form at the rash spots that can become blisters.

It is most commonly found in wooded swampy areas. In the United States, that is in Florida and the southeastern states.

It is similar to rashes the other poisons produce; it's a red rash with mild itching followed by bumps and mild blisters.

You should wash the location with soap and hot water, remove and wash the clothes you were wearing, and take a shower. If the rash starts to form, do not scratch it because the infection can spread this way.

The fruits of the toxic and non-toxic species are distinctively different: staghorn sumac (the safe one) has red, brown or purplish berries that appear to be fused together and grow in upright, cone-shaped clumps, whereas the berries of poison sumac are white, flatter and hang down on short stems.

The bark of the staghorn sumac is generally hairy. Staghorn sumac and poison sumac both have compound leaves composed of small leaflets. Yet, only staghorn sumac leaves are serrated along the edge like a saw.

Perhaps it is appropriate given their toxicity that poison sumac plants tend to grow alone. You are more likely to find staghorn sumacs growing in groups as they spread readily.

If you are unsure which sumac you’ve found, don't touch it, but take a look at the bark, the leaves and, if present, the fruits. The bark of poison sumac is smooth and sometimes reddish. Also, if the leaves you are looking at have more than 13 leaflets, the plant they belong to is likely to be the safe sumac.

Unless you are in a wetland or a shrubby swamp, it is unlikely you will encounter a poison sumac. This species grows in wet ground, whereas the non-toxic sumac species, also called staghorn sumac, prefers relatively dry conditions. This is why you may see staghorn sumac growing by roadsides and in gardens.

It can take several days to several weeks for the poison sumac to disappear. It depends on the size of the growth and how aggressive you are about spraying it with herbicide.

The most effective way to kill or control sumac is to use a non-discriminatory agent like Roundup, which will kill other plants. Use it carefully to avoid killing the surrounding plants.