Plant Details

Rhus glaba

Smooth Sumach

Back

Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Rhus glaba.

Use this plant

Log in to add this plant to your recipes.

Log in

Common names

5 names · 3 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Smooth Sumach
Other languages (2)
Dutch
  • Azijnboom
  • Fluweelboom
  • sumak
French
  • Sumac glabre
Sources & name notes

Names recorded in our plant catalogue, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

General information

Scientific name: Rhus glaba
Accepted name (Kew): Rhus glabra View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited taxonomic treatment. Botanical references may use alternative names.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Anacardiaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Rhus (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Smooth Sumach

Plant characteristics

Layer: Tree
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 3.00 m
Spread: 3.00 m
Growth rate: Moderate
Foliage: Deciduous

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3-9
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Moist
Soil:
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
pH:
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Light:
Full sun

Uses

Edible parts:
Fruit, Oil, Stems, Root
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(3)
Functions:
Dye, Hedge, Oil, Pioneer species, Windbreak, Wood, Bee forage

Description

Fruits of this plant can be eaten both raw and cooked and have a sour taste, making them suitable as a substitute for lemon juice. The fruits are small with little pulp, but the clusters they grow on are large and easy to harvest. If the fruits are soaked in hot or cold water for 10 to 30 minutes, a refreshing drink similar to lemonade is produced. It is not recommended to boil this drink, as this releases tannins, making it too sharp in flavor. The root of the plant can be peeled and eaten raw. The young shoots can also be peeled and eaten raw. The bark of the plant is eaten by some children as a candy, but the sap can cause skin rashes in some people. Little is known about this reaction, so it is advisable to be cautious when handling this plant.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/09
Harvest ends: 31/10

Crown

Crown shape: Broad pyramidal
Crown density: Dense crown

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: WCVP version 16, wcvp_names.csv: Rhus glabra L., name ID 2423048, row 150916
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 148593; name ID 2420929; Rhus L.. Family column.

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.