Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix [L.] Kuntzel [Rhus vernix L.])

This poisonous tree, a relative of POISON IVY and POISON OAK, has seven to 13 long narrow leaves growing in pairs with a single leaf at the end of the stem. In the spring the leaves are bright orange and look something like velvet; as the season progresses, they become dark green and glossy on the upper surface and light green on the underside. In the fall the leaves turn red or orange. Poison sumac can be differentiated from nonpoisonous sumacs by its drooping clusters of green berries; nonpoisonous sumacs have red, upright clusters of berries. Poison sumac can grow to be 25 feet tall, although it is more often found between five and six feet tall. It is found in swampy areas throughout the eastern United States.