Planetagarden
- Is laurel sumac poisonous?
- How did Native Americans use laurel sumac?
- Is laurel sumac edible?
- Does sumac grow in California?
- How do you kill laurel sumac?
Is laurel sumac poisonous?
The plant is related to poison oak and, distantly, to the poison sumacs of the East Coast. And while some with extreme sensitivity have reported adverse reactions to laurel sumac, this is apparently rare; for most the plant is harmless. ... The plant cannot take too much cold, and frost will kill it.
How did Native Americans use laurel sumac?
Laurel Sumac Uses
Like many plants, laurel sumac was put to good use by Native Americans, who dried the berries and ground them into flour. A tea made from the bark was used to treat dysentery and certain other conditions. ... Today, laurel sumac is used mostly as a landscape plant in chaparral gardens.
Is laurel sumac edible?
Laurel Sumac was used often by Native Americans. The berries are lightly edible and teas can be used as a mouth wash for sores and ulcers. The leaves are dried and powdered and made into an antiseptic. ... Also, many people are allergic to sumac which can have the same effect as poison oak on them.
Does sumac grow in California?
Laurel sumac is native to southern California and Baja California. It is also found on the southern Channel Islands. It is common in chaparral and coastal sage scrub below 3300 feet (1000 m).
How do you kill laurel sumac?
Cut the stems at their bases with pruning shears or hand loppers, and immediately spray the fresh cuts with brush killer. Wipe the blades of your shears or loppers with rubbing alcohol afterward to prevent the spread of pests and diseases. Another option for treating stands of sumac is spray the base of each stem.
