Paleo Foraging

Rhus virens Lindh. ex A. Gray

= R. choriophylla, R. sempervirens, Schmaltzia choriophylla

Evergreen sumac

Comanche: temaichia (Ohlendorf et al. 1980:348)

Tonkawa: ayumé (Ohlendorf et al. 1980:313)

Location in Texas: C, W, SW, & S TX; very common in Travis Co.

Form: shrub, tree.

Season: flowers (white) June-Nov.

Food

Fruit – used to make vinegar by early Mexicans in Tamaulipas (Ohlendorf et al. 1980:531).

Medicine

Leaves – dried and smoked by the Tonkawa and Comanche, and sometimes mixed with tobacco (Ohlendorf et al. 1980:313). Dried and mixed with tobacco to smoke by the Mexican Kickapoo (Latorre and Latorre 1977:356).

Leaves & bark – a decoction, plus the leaves and bark of skunkbush sumac (Rhus aromatica), was drunk instead of water for 40 days after giving birth by the Mexican Kickapoo (Latorre and Latorre 1977:348). The root of camphor daisy (Heterotheca subaxillaris) was sometimes included in this decoction (Latorre and Latorre 1977:348). A decoction was drunk to stop excessive bleeding after miscarriage or abortion (Latorre and Latorre 1977:348).

Gathering Season – leaves for smoking: autumn, when leaves are red (Ohlendorf et al. 1980:312).

Experimentation

I have smoked the leaves various times. They don’t have much of a taste to them but furnish a mild and palatable smoke. They are excellent for diluting tobacco.

The fruits are tasty, sweet, and tart. They taste about the same as those from Rhus trilobata / skunkbush sumac. They can be used to make sumac-ade in the same way.