Does My Property Have Poison Sumac On It?

Q: I purchased property in Union County and had a guy give me a quote for clearing it. He said it’s full of poison sumac. Any idea if poison sumac has been reported here? 

A: The field might be full of staghorn sumac, winged sumac or smooth sumac but it’s not full of poison sumac. Poison sumac is found in very wet or swampy spots. That’s not common where you live.

Staghorn sumac is common in north Georgia. The conical, erect, maroon-red seedheads are eye-catching to humans and birds. Poison sumac has red stems, drooping berries and the leaves have smooth edges.

I’ve collected pictures of poison sumac and staghorn sumac at bit.ly/GAsumac.

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