Mediterranean shrub with pinnate leaves and dense panicles of small dull-red fruits, dried and ground to produce the lemon-tart sumac spice of Levantine cuisine. Leaves are the source of one of the highest tannin contents of any plant.
Hardiness ratings
| System | Rating | Temperature range | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USDA hardiness zone | Zone 8–10 | −12.2 °C to 4.4 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| RHS hardiness rating | H4 | −10 °C to −5 °C | Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance |
| Canadian plant hardiness zone | Zone 9 | −1 °C and warmer | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
| Australian (ANBG) zone | Zone 3–6 | −5 °C to 15 °C | Plant tolerates down to this zone |
Growing notes
- Tannin and brown-to-black dye extracted from leaves and twigs by boiling — historically the principal European source of vegetable tannins for leather processing and the highest-quality leather (Morocco leather)
- Distinct from staghorn sumac Rhus typhina (already in the database from batch 6) — R. coriaria is the spice and leather sumac of the Mediterranean, not the autumn-colour ornamental of North America
- Dried ground fruits are the sumac spice of Levantine and Persian cooking — sharp, tart, lemon-flavoured
- WARNING: A few related species in the Rhus genus (notably poison sumac, Toxicodendron vernix) are dangerously toxic — identification certainty is essential before harvesting wild material
Categories
Related plants
Cross-check Tanner’s sumac (Sicilian sumac) against your zones