sumac

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SUMAC

Rhus spp.

Rhus spp. of the family Anacardiaceae. There are at least 2 dozen species in the genus Rhus that have among them many dozens of names that are some variation of sumac (or sumach). The one that I have seen more prevalent in American woodworking is staghorn sumac (R. typhina and possibly a couple of others) and I have broken it out to its own page on this site

my samples:

both sides of a rough plank contributed to the site by Milton Smith who cut it in Wisconsin and whom I thank for the contribution. Milton believes, based on the color, that this is smoothbark sumac.

NOTE: all of these pics of the smoothbark sumac are just a shade too orange and not quite green enough and I can't see any difference between this and some staghorn sumac I've seen (but that doesn't mean it is NOT smoothbark sumac)

both sides, sanded smooth, of the two small planks I recovered from the rough plank directly above

end grain of the 2 planks directly above

end grain closeups of the two planks directly above

NOTE: the pics of the following two planks of African sumac were submitted by Jon Dake, whom I thank most kindly for the contribution. Jon tells me these are freshly cut (unseasoned) from a tree in Arizona but which is not native to Arizona (Hey ... it doesn't LOOK like a cactus, does it)

both sides of a plank of African sumac and a closeup

both sides of another plank of African sumac

The Wood Book pics

flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
laurel sumac (R. laurina) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for all 3 views

flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
poison sumac (R. vernix) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for all 3 views

flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
dwarf sumac (R. copallina) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are available for all 3 views

web pics

plank listed as African sumac / Rhus lancea

plank listed as dwarf sumac / Rhus capallinum

plank listed as Hawaiian sumac / rhus sandwicensis

plank listed as flowering sumac / Rhus hypoleuca

plank listed as laurel sumac / Rhus laurina

plank listed as mountain sumac / Rhus trichorcarpa

mountain sumac (Rhus trichocarpa) pic submitted by Bill Mudry --- thanks Bill

plank listed as poison sumac / Rhus javanica (NOTE: poison sumac is normally Rhus toxicodendron and Rhus javanica is normally called Japanese poison sumac)

plank listed as sugar sumac / Rhus ovata

plank listed as Tahitian sumac / Rhus taitensis

plank listed as winged sumac / Rhus copallinum

planks just listed as sumac

sumac log

African sumac knife handle by Frank Ogle.

NOTE: all of the pics below were provided by Milton Schmit, who also provided the sample plank shown up above. This is all from the same tree, which Milton believes to be smoothbark sumac. I cannot vouch for the colors on any of these pics, but the pieces all came from the same tree as the sample plank shown above, so that should give you some idea. It is a very colorful piece, so the vibrant colors below are believable. Some of the color variation is likely due to the fact that Milton used various finishes on the different pieces.