Rhus typhina

Rhus typhina

The Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina L., 1756) is a shrub or small tree species belonging to the Anacardiaceae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Plantae,
Magnoliophyta division,
Class Magnoliopsida,
Subclass Rosidae,
Sapindales order,
Family Anacardiaceae,
Genus Rhus,
R. typhina species.
The terms are synonyms:
– Datisca hirta L.;
– Rhus americana Hort.Batav.;
– Rhus americana Hort.Batav. ex Dippel;
– Rhus canadensis Mill.;
– Rhus filicifolia Demcker;
– Rhus frutescens G.Nicholson;
– Rhus frutescens Hort.;
– Rhus gracilis hort.;
– Rhus gracilis hort. ex Engl.;
– Rhus hirta (L.) Südw.;
– Rhus hirta f. dissecta (Rehder) Reveal;
– Rhus hirta f. typhina (L.) Reveal;
– Rhus hirta var. dissecta (Rehder) Nash;
– Rhus hirta var. laciniata C.K.Schneid.;
– Rhus hirta var. typhina (L.) Farw.;
– Rhus hypselodendrum Moench;
– Rhus typhia Crantz;
– Rhus typhina f. dissecta Rehder;
– Rhus typhina f. laciniata (Alph.Wood) Rehder, 1907;
– Rhus typhina f. typhina;
– Rhus typhina var. arborescens Jess.;
– Rhus typhina var. arborescens Willd.;
– Rhus typhina var. filicifolia Demcker;
– Rhus typhina var. filicina Sprenger;
– Rhus typhina var. frutescens Jess.;
– Rhus typhina var. frutescens Willd.;
– Rhus typhina var. laciniata Alph.Wood;
– Rhus typhina var. laciniata Manning;
– Rhus typhina var. laciniata Manning ex Rehder;
– Rhus typhina var. viridiflora Wirtg.;
– Rhus virginiana Garsault;
– Rhus viridiflora Duhamel;
– Schmaltzia hirta (L.) Small;
– Schmalzia hirta Small;
– Toxicodendron typhinum (L.) Kuntze.
Two subspecies are recognized within this species:
– Rhus typhina var. laciniata Hort;
– Rhus typhina var. typhina.

Etymology –
The term Rhus comes from the Celtic red rhudd, referring to the color of the infructescences.
The specific epithet typhina comes from the explanation of the description of the plant by Carl Linnaeus and Ericus Torner with the phrase “Ramis hirtis uti typhi cervini”, which means “the branches are rough as velvet horns”. According to other authors it comes from typhinus, similar to plants of the genus Typha, perhaps due to the compactness of the infructescences.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Rhus typhina is a plant native to eastern North America. It is found primarily in southeastern Canada, the northeastern and centralwestern United States, and in the Appalachian Mountains.
Today this plant is widely cultivated as an ornamental species in all areas with a temperate climate.
The plant was imported into Europe in 1623, often cultivated in parks and gardens and locally grown wild.
In Italy it is widespread as an ornamental plant especially in the central-northern regions. On the Euganean Hills there are very few individuals grown wild in the central-western part, near Cinto Euganeo.
Its habitat is usually that of mountain areas where it grows on rich soils, but it is also found in nutrient-poor gravelly and sandy soils. It grows near streams and marshes, along roadsides, along railway embankments and on the edge of woods.

Description –
Rhus typhina is a dioecious deciduous shrub or small tree growing to 5m in height, with a 6m wide crown.
The leaves are alternate, compound, pinnately, and 25–55 cm long, each with 9–31 serrated leaflets, 6–11 cm long. The petioles and stems of the leaves are densely covered with rust-colored hairs.
The fall foliage features brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow.[
The branches have a velvety texture and are forked, resembling deer horns in shape.
The flowers are small, greenish-white to yellowish in color and gathered in dense terminal panicles.
The anthesis goes from the period of May to July.
The infructescences are 10–20 cm long and 4–6 cm broad at the base. The fruits are small green to reddish drupes, which ripen from June to September, and can remain on the plants from the end of summer until spring.

Cultivation –
Rhus typhina is an ornamental plant which arouses interest throughout the year; although its vigorous habit makes it unsuitable for smaller gardens.
This plant can grow in a wide range of conditions, but is most often found in dry, poor soils that other plants cannot survive on.
Some gardeners remove all but the top branches to create a “crown” effect to resemble a small palm tree.
The plant has a widespread root system and can freely sucker, often forming large, dense colonies.
It is a plant that lends itself to many uses. In the wild it is harvested for local use as food, medicine and source of materials. It can be used as a pioneer species during woodland restoration and is also often grown as an ornamental, particularly ornamental forms which are less likely to produce suckers.
It is a plant that germinates easily and grows rapidly, which can eliminate or reduce the presence of many other species that cannot grow in the shade it creates. For this reason it has been identified as a weed or invasive in some countries such as the USA and the Czech Republic.
For its cultivation it is reported that it is a very cold-resistant plant; when completely dormant it can tolerate temperatures down to at least -25 °C; however new shoots are more sensitive and can be damaged by late frosts.
It can tolerate semi-arid climates with average annual rainfall of up to 300mm, although it prefers wetter climates with rainfall of 1,200mm or more.
It is a plant that grows well in fertile, well-drained soils and in full sun or partial shade. However it tolerates poor soils and thrives even in dry soils and is drought tolerant once the plant is established.
It is a fairly wind resistant plant, even if the branches are fragile and can be broken in the presence of very strong winds.
From a pedological point of view, it tolerates a pH range between 4.5 and 7.2.
Furthermore, the plant tolerates atmospheric pollution in inhabited centres.
It should be remembered that it is a fast growing but short lived tree. It also has a shallow and widespread root system and, given its ability to draw water, it can form groves, taking over the rest of the vegetation if grown in small areas.
Single stem cultivated plants are short lived but if they are cut back regularly and allowed to form thickets then they will live longer and also be more ornamental and larger leafed; moreover, any coppicing is best done in early spring.
In late summer some shoots may have galls on the underside of the leaves, caused by the sumac leaf aphid, Melaphis rhois. The galls are not markedly harmful to the tree.
Propagation can occur by seed; this must be sown as soon as it is ripe. Before sowing, it is recommended to immerse the seed for 24 hours in hot water (starting at a temperature of 80 – 90 °C and leaving it to cool, to eliminate any germination inhibitors.
The soaking water can be drunk and has a delicious lemon flavour. Stored seed also needs warm water treatment and can be sown in early spring in unheated seedbeds.
The young seedlings are then placed in individual pots or containers and grown in an unheated greenhouse for their first winter. The transplant must then be carried out in spring or at the beginning of summer, in any case after the last expected frosts.
It can also be propagated by agamic means by means of cuttings of semi-mature wood, of 10 in the mid-summer period and rooted in the shade.
It is possible to reproduce the plant also through root cuttings, 4 cm long, taken in December and potted vertically in a greenhouse; they have a good percentage of taking root.
In general it is a plant that is transplanted easily.

Customs and Traditions –
Rhus typhina is a sumac that has found many uses over time, especially in its areas of origin.
It was once frequently employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes who especially valued it for its astringent qualities.
Today it is little used in modern herbal medicine. Some caution is advised in the use of the leaves and stems of this plant, due to potential toxicity.
Parts of the plant, except the roots, can be used both as a natural dye and as a mordant. The plant is rich in tannins and can be added to tinctures to improve light persistence.
The fruits are edible and can be soaked and washed in cold water, strained, sweetened and made into a drink similar in flavor to a pink lemonade sometimes called “Indian lemonade”.
The drink extract can also be used to make jelly.
The sprouts can be peeled and eaten raw.
The leaves and berries were mixed with tobacco and other herbs and smoked by Native American tribes. This practice continues to a small extent to this day.
All parts of the plant, except the roots, can be used both as a natural dye and as a mordant. The plant is rich in tannins and can be added to other dye baths to improve light fastness.
The fruits, which can be eaten, even cooked, have a very sour taste and are used in cakes.
In medicinal use, various parts are used.
The bark is antiseptic, astringent, galactogogue and tonic.
An infusion is used in the treatment of diarrhea, fevers, hemorrhoids, general weakness, uterine prolapse, etc.
An infusion is also said to greatly increase the milk flow of a nursing mother: even small pieces of wood were eaten for this purpose.
The inner bark is said to be a good remedy for hemorrhoids.
The roots are astringent, blood purifying, diuretic and emetic.
An infusion of the roots, combined with Echinacea purpurea, has been used in the treatment of venereal diseases.
A poultice of roots has been used to cure boils.
The leaves are astringent. They have been used in the treatment of asthma, diarrhea and stomatosis.
An infusion of the fruit has been used as a tonic to improve appetite and as a cure for diarrhea.
The berries are astringent and blood purifying; these were chewed as a remedy for nocturnal enuresis.
A tea made from the berries has been used to treat sore throats.
Even the flowers are astringent and stomachic. An infusion has been used to treat stomach pains.
The sap has been applied externally as a treatment for warts; however some caution is advised as it can cause rashes in many people.
Other uses include agroforestry.
The plant has an extensive root system and is planted as a windscreen and to prevent soil erosion, making it particularly useful on dry slopes and poorer soils.
The plant has an extensive and suckering root system; it is able to grow in poor soils and in disturbed areas; it is an excellent pioneer species that can be used for the restoration of native woodland and can also be cultivated in mining sites.
The leaves are rich in tannin; up to 48% was obtained in one controlled plantation.
The leaves can be harvested as they fall in the fall and used as a brown dye or mordant.
Even the bark, especially that of the root, and the fruits are very rich in tannin.
A yellow dye can be obtained from the roots. An orange dye can be obtained from the inner bark and central pith of the stem, mixed with Sanguinaria canadensis.
A black ink can be made by boiling the leaves and the fruit.
An oil is extracted from the seeds which reaches a consistency similar to tallow and is used to make candles. These burn brilliantly, though they emit a pungent smoke.
Pipes are obtained from the young shoots which are used to extract the sap of the sugar maples (Acer spp); they are also used as flutes.
An extract of the leaves is used as an ingredient in commercial cosmetic preparations as a skin protector and conditioner.
The wood is soft, light, brittle, coarse-grained; it weighs just over 12 kg for every approximately 0.028 cubic metres.
The wood has no commercial value, although it is sometimes used as raw construction wood or in woodturning and handicrafts.
From an ecological point of view it should be emphasized that the fruits are eaten by many birds in the winter period; it is also a very good plant for bees, the flowers produce an abundance of pollen and nectar.
Rhus typhina is a widespread plant and occurs widely in disturbed sites, so the population is considered large and stable. The plant is classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2018).

Method of Preparation –
Rhus typhina is a plant that finds various uses, both food and medicine.
The leaves can be harvested in summer and the bark all year round.
If the fruits are soaked for 10 – 30 minutes in hot or cold water they produce a very refreshing drink similar to lemonade.
An infusion of the bark is used in the treatment of diarrhea, fevers, hemorrhoids, general weakness, uterine prolapse, etc.
An infusion of the roots, combined with Echinacea purpurea, was used, above all in the past, in the treatment of venereal diseases.
A poultice of roots has been used to cure boils.
The leaves have been used in the treatment of asthma, diarrhea and stomatosis.
An infusion of the fruit has been used as a tonic to improve appetite and as a cure for diarrhea.
The berries were chewed as a remedy for bedwetting.
A tea made from the berries has been used to treat sore throats.
An infusion of the flowers has been used to treat stomach pains.
The sap has been applied externally as a treatment for warts; however some caution is advised as it can cause rashes in many people.
The mixture should not be boiled as this will release tannic acids and make the drink astringent.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.

Photo source:
– https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Addisonia_01-037_Rhus_typhina.png

Attention: The pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not in any way represent a medical prescription; we therefore decline all responsibility for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.