Smooth Sumac is an ancient-looking shrub that, by appearances only, looks like it would be more at home in a South American jungle than in the understory of an Alabama pine forest; however, this showy All-American native is no jungle plant. In fact, it’s the only shrub found in all 48 lower U.S. states. It’s also native across Canada and in northeastern Mexico.

Smooth Sumac is beautiful in both form and color. It can grow up to 20 feet tall and has a long, leaning trunk or multiple trunks with grayish-brown bark and an open crown. Pinnate and compound, Smooth Sumac leaves are large, fern-like constructions with smooth green or purple stems supporting pairs of shiny, dark green, lance-shaped leaflets and a single terminal leaflet. Each leaf is between 1 and 1-1/2 feet long and contains 11 to 31 leaflets. Leaflets all have shallow, toothed edges.