Staghorn Sumac: Does anyone know about flowering on them.

[SwampDonkey]

Well the folks have some wild sumac on the edge of the property. It usually flowers and has fruit on them all winter after they mature into fruit. This year all that remains on the flower spike it just that, the flowers have fallen away. I examined them and it appears that the flowers were only pollen flowers. There is no insects involved and the plants are healthy and green. Does sumac act like red maple, where it can have both flowers this year and the next might be male? There are other wild sumac down on the river that have set fruit and some also that only have a bare spike left. As I said earlier, these ones on the lawn have usually had fruit. I can't explain it, other than they must have only had pollen flowers this season.

[SwampDonkey]

Ah, I see said the blind man. There are separate flower spikes, one is a male spike and it's larger than the female flower spike. Just had a look inside my native tree book.

[WDH]

I see that you see.

[medic1289]

I have tons of that stuff!  Has any one heard of or tried making a "tea" with staghorn?  Do you use the fruit, (if that's what you call the red "heads")?

Thinking of trying it if someone knows about it.

sy

[SwampDonkey]

Yes, they used to make a "shrub" from the fruit (drupes) like you would currants. It makes a pink lemonade. I would cook them myself like you would high bush cranberry and add some sugar, and let the juice drip from a sack such as a pillow case to strain the flesh and hairs out.  Experiment a little.  ;) I've had the currant shrub before. I think you need lots of sugar. :D The grouse sure like the fruit in fall and winter.

Pretty much anything else above ground and you'll end up with a tannin concoction.

[bugmeist]

I've made "lemonade" out of the fruit clusters.  There's lots more flavor if you pick them when it's been dry for awhile.  We just soaked them in water in the fridge for a day or 2 , strained the liquid, added sugar (not much) to taste...it's great stuff.

If it doesn't stop raining this year I probably won't get to make any.

bugmeist

[SwampDonkey]

I was noticing around the woods near here they have mostly male flower spikes this year.

I did read they use cold water as bugmeist says, but never read any details in the method.