Sumac Used By Native Americans

Smooth Sumac shrubs are very prominent here near the ski area and in the nearby hills and gulches. Their great numbers help stabilize the soil, preventing erosion and landslides. As a forest moves up the hillside, sumac is one of the first plants to appear. Native Americans used the trunk of the sumac for the stems of their pipes. Medicine was made from the dried fruits of sumac and yarrow. Wild licorice and sumac leaves were used for making drinks. Their leaves turn a beautiful bright red in the fall.

Wessington Springs, South Dakota · United States