Herb & Spice Companion

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HERB & SPICE COMPANION

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SUMAC

Rhus coriaria

Flavors: tart, fruity, tangy, with

citrus

While many are familiar with poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix), which grows wild

in regions throughout North America, sumac the spice is completely safe and com-

pletely delicious. Grown from a shrub native to Iran, deep-red sumac berries emerge

upright in beautiful, jewel-like clusters.

When ripe, each berry is covered with

fine red hairs; they’re sun-dried and

ground to a reddish-brown powder for

use in cooking. The berries of poison

sumac are white and bear little resem-

blance to the spice.

With its citrus-like acidity, sumac is

used in Middle Eastern dishes much like

lemon juice is used in Western cooking—

to add sour, tangy flavor to a wide variety

of savory dishes, from salads to meats to

breads. It’s an integral spice in traditional

za’atar (see page 251) and in the classic

Lebanese salad known as fattoush.

In the Garden

There are around 250 species of sumac, with only a handful that bear edible berries.

Common edible varieties seen in the United States are the staghorn sumac (Rhus

typhina), smooth sumac (Rhus glabra), and the shorter fragrant sumac (Rhus aromat-

ica), which grows low to the ground. In addition to their white flowers and scarlet

berries, deciduous shrubs and trees often showcase dazzling leaf color in the fall.

They’re easy to grow in the garden and in containers, and adaptable to various cli-

mate conditions. However, sumac plants are dioecious, or single-sexed, meaning they

need both male and female specimens in order to bear fruit.

Size: Varies according to species; common varieties range from 6 to 15 feet tall

HEALTH BENEFITS

Considered a medicinal spice

throughout history, sumac has been

used to treat a range of conditions,

including digestive upset and cold,

cough, and flu. More recent research

has implied an even greater role in

human health: Sumac is remarkably

high in antioxidants, which can

help prevent or postpone symptoms

of aging, including age-related

degenerative conditions as well as

heart disease and cancer.

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