Flora of the Southeastern United States

Toxicodendron vernix (Linnaeus) Kuntze. Common name: Poison Sumac, Thunderwood, Poison Elder, Poison Dogwood. Phenology: May-Jun; Aug-Sep. Habitat: In peaty habitats, in the Coastal Plain frequent in streamhead pocosins and sandhill seepage bogs, in the mountains in bogs. Distribution: NS west to MN, south to c. peninsular FL and TX.

ID notes: The leaf rachis and leaflet petiolules are usually a dark red or maroon color. The leaves turn a very attractive shade of orange-red in autumn.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = C, Can, Fl4, FNA13, GW2, Il, K4, Mi, NcTx, NE, NeUS, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, S, Tn, Va, W, WH3; = Rhus vernix L. — F, G, RAB, S13, Tat, Tx, WV. Basionym: Rhus vernix L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Toxicodendron vernix - FNA13

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
• Midwest: OBL
• Northcentral & Northeast: OBL

Heliophily ⓘ: 6