Staghorn Sumac, Rhus Typhina

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina

Cool, dry, tonifying

Taste: sweet, sour

Family: Anacardiaceae

Medicinal parts: berries, leaves, bark

Actions: astringent, diuretic, refrigerant, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant, antiviral, antimicrobial, nutritive

Affinities: digestive, urinary, and immune systems

Notable constituents: acids, quercitin, astragalin, betulin, tannins

Medicinal applications

• Berries

  • Like many other sour fruits, sumac berries are considered a refrigerant and can be useful for people that are prone to overheating. 

  • Sumac berries contain considerable amounts of vitamin C as well as antibacterial properties, making them an immune booster. Sumac berries have similar effects as elderberries, helping prevent sickness. 

  • Sumac berries are supportive for those with stagnant fluids. For people that have diabetes, edema or states of excessive relaxed tissue, sumac berries can be supportive for toning and draining. 

  • The sour, tart flavour of sumac berries can also be supportive for those who want to reduce sugar in their diet. Whether someone is diabetic or looking to change a pattern of sugar reliance, sumac berries can be a supportive ally for reducing sugar cravings. 

• Leaf

  • The leaf of staghorn sumac is very astringent and has diuretic properties, making it helpful for tissues with excess dampness that are overly relaxed. Work with sumac leaf for states where draining and tonifying tissues are needed, for internal use this could be diarrhea, swollen tissues and edema. 

  • Sumac leaf is also antibacterial, preventing bacterial infection in the respiratory system and digestive system. It has also shown to be supportive for preventing E. coli. 

  • Topically, sumac leaf is helpful for wound care because its tonifying action will help tighten tissues and its antibacterial action can prevent inflection. For external uses work with sumac leaf for fungal infections, acne, wound care and oral applications such as as a mouth rinse for swollen gums or canker sores. 

• Bark

  • As the most astringent part of the sumac tree, sumac bark is suitable for draining and toning, it also has antibacterial action. If it is necessary to work with the bark, consider pairing it with a demulcent herbs such as marshmallow to make sure the bark is not overly drying. 

In practice:

• Staghorn sumac has been nicknamed the lemonade tree. Work with the berries to create a cooling, tart fruity lemonade to reduce heat on summer days. Sumac berries also blend well with other fruity herbal refrigerants, such as hibiscus and rosehips. Consider making a herbal kool-aid blend and mixing your favorite cooling summer herbs. Sumac berries are helpful for reducing sugar cravings, cooling down the body and boosting your immune system. As the berries are not overly astringent and it is safe to drink large amounts of berry infusion, similar to schisandra berries 

• Sumac berries are a traditional food in the Mediterranean and Middle east. They are worked with as a spice blend, called za’atar. Consider making a za'atar blend to boost your immune system, help support digestion and cool down the body. Work with sumac berries in culinary applications where you would add pomegranates, to add a tart refreshing flavour. 

• Try pairing sumac berries with elderberries to make an immune boosting infusion to prevent viruses during cold and flu season. 

• If you are working with sumac to drain fluids and reduce swelling, consider combining it with movement to get the most benefit, such as a gentle walk or stretching. 

• Consider keeping sumac leaf tincture in a herbal first aid kit for diarrhea and preventing viruses. 

• If you are interested in extracting tannins, consider making an infusion over a tincture. Tannins are more prominent when extracted in water than as a tincture, but both still work. 

Cautions:

• Sumac is in the cashew family, if you are allergic to cashew, sumac may not be appropriate for you. 

• As sumac bark is overly drying, it should only be worked with for a short period of time.

• Sumac is easy to identify and fortunately, poison sumac has obvious differences, such as smooth bark and white berries. As always, be careful and considerate when foraging wild plants. 

Friends: rosehips, elderberry, goji, orange, lemon, marshmallow, hibiscus 

Cited Works

“Herb Profile: Staghorn Sumac.” Sawmill Herb Farm, www.sawmillherbfarm.com/pages/herb-profile-staghorn-sumac?srsltid=AfmBOor9Vgcgm9_leK4Khf9AMJT4gt5nFo_CyBuPdl3MSNwD4hQEgcXp. Accessed 23 June 2025. 

McCune, L M. “Traditional Medicinal Plants of Indigenous Peoples of Canada and Their Antioxidant Activity in Relation to Treatment of Diabetes.” Bioactive Food as Dietary Interventions for Diabetes, Academic Press, 26 Oct. 2012, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780123971531000214. 

O’Driscoll, Dana. “Sacred Tree Profile: The Medicine, Magic, and Uses of Staghorn Sumac (Rhus Typhina) - the Druids Garden.” The Druids Garden - Spiritual Journeys in Tending the Living Earth, Permaculture, and Nature-Inspired Arts, 16 Apr. 2022, thedruidsgarden.com/2020/07/19/sacred-tree-profile-staghorn-sumac-rhus-typhina/. 

“Sumac (Wu Bei Zi / Yan Fu Zi).” White Rabbit Institute of Healing, 26 Mar. 2025, www.whiterabbitinstituteofhealing.com/herbs/sumac/. 

Swift, Katja, and Ryn Midura. “Staghorn sumac: Herb of the Week.” Accessed 23 June. 2025.

Swift, Katja, and Ryn Midura. “Staghorn Sumac - Materia Medica.” Accessed 23 June. 2025.

Swift, Katja, and Ryn Midura. “Staghorn Sumac -Rhus typhina.” Family Herbalist Course.https://online.commonwealthherbs.com/courses/take/materia-medica/lessons/2374753-staghorn-sumac-rhus-typhina Accessed 23 June. 2025. 

White, Adrian. “Making and Using Sumac-Ade in Herbalism: Iowa Herbalist.” Adrian White | Jupiter Ridge Farm, 7 Feb. 2022, iowaherbalist.com/2016/08/31/healing-sumac-ade-herbalism/. 

Wood, Matthew. Practice of Traditional Western Herbalism: Basic Doctrine, Energetics, and Classification. North Atlantic Books, 2013.