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Sumac (Rhus species)

There are fourteen species of sumac found in the United States according to Pellett.  When found it usually grows in large stands.  It is not a tall tree but rather shrub like.   It grows along the borders of woods, along railroad right of ways, along highways, and in waste areas.  The range of this plant and its various species can be found from Nova Scotia to Florida and west to California.  It is an important honey plant.   It is a mid summer flowering plant -- June and July.  This is a member of the Anacardiaceae  family.

Description of nectar

Pellet describes the honey as a grade of white honey.   And Lovell describes it as "golden color".  Our observation of sumac is that it  is Amber tending to be a bit darker and influences the color of lighter honeys.    It is usually found mixed with other honeys.

  Description of pollen grain

We could not find any micro photographs of sumac in any of our references.  We found the pollen grains to be quite small from the sample we took here in Ohio.   Shown below are micro photographs we took.

    The pollen grain is subspherical with clear pores showing in the micro photograph to the right.  These appear as bumps on the surface of the pollen grain.  We hesitate to call the pollen square but it comes close when viewed -- it is not spherical round.