Rhus aromatica prophouse-fall-2026 or in a conservatory

or in a conservatory

the smoke that flavors hickory-smoked meats

and the great timber tree of Japan

the sad pine

the dry-footed conditions of the plant's native thorn forest

Rhus aromatica prophouse-fall-2026 or in a conservatoryFragrant sumac is a versatile deciduous shrub native across much of the eastern and central United States, where the plant threads scattered woodlands, rocky slopes, and open banks. The trifoliate leaves, often mistaken at a glance for poison oak, are entirely harmless, and a crushed leaf releases the clean, lemony resinous scent that gives the plant every one of the common names, from fragrant sumac to skunkbush, depending on the nose. The genus name