What’s sumac ?

 This spice comes from the berries of a wild bush that grows wild in all Mediterranean areas, especially in Sicily and southern Italy, and parts of the Middle East, notably Iran. It is an essential ingredient in Arabica, Turkey and the Levant, and especially in Lebanese cuisine. In these areas it is a major souring agent, used where other regions would employ lemon, tamarind or vinegar. It is rubbed on to kebabs before grilling and may be used in this way with fish or chicken. The juice extracted from sumac is popular in salad dressings and marinades and the powdered form is used in stews and vegetable and chicken casseroles.

You can try Sumac Spice

Sumac is a bushy shrub that has bright red leaves in the fall. It is a relative of poison ivy and can cause skin rashes. This variety grows in Oklahoma and Missouri. I'm sure it's in other states but I don't have personal knowledge of which ones.

if you need to ask then your already with a problem. you can find it in any google. i think what you really need to now is eather how to avoid it or dose it spead. wash with soap and water on contact cover area and go to local pharmacy and ask for best over counter topical. when i was a kid every year i got into something eather that or poison ivy or poison oak after so many years i didn't any more?what my mom did may not be what's done now. first clean area, do not touch with bear hands you can spread it and/or get it on you, it's in the oose at the sore spot. calimin lotion or sometimes mom used thick baking soda/water mix to draw out and dry up.don't itch that speads it . go to your doctor if you can afford it, if not ask your nearest pharmist what to do, just call them and get informed or google and avoid!   

A sprinkling of this pretty purple spice adds a tangy lemony flavour to meat and salads.... Prior to the introduction of lemons, the Romans used sumac as a souring agent. It has a pleasant tangy taste with a hint of citrus fruitiness and virtually no aroma.

Sumac is a woody shrub which blooms and produces berries in spikes at the ends of the limbs.  If the berries are white, leave it alone as they can be poisonous.  If the berries are dark red, you can make what we called "Indian lemonade" by cutting off a spike of berries and steeping it in boiling water. 

It is one of the ingredients in a mixture of herbs called Zahtaar that is widely used in the middle east.  My favorite dish with Zahtaar is very simple.  A flat bread spread with a mixture of Zahtaar and Olive oil and then put under the broiler.  Outstanding with Yogurt and Olives.

it is the spice but what everyone has failed to say is that you put it on rice (or at least a lot of Persain families like mine do)

There is more than one type of Sumac.  One is poisonious and must be avoided.  I do not know where it grows. 

The non poisonious one has been used in the far Northern Americas to make unique furniture. The grain of the wood is telling to the educated eye and the pronouncement of the word is quite unique as well. 

In the southern United States, children use the brownish/red buds as imitation coffee when playing house.  That's all I know about wild sumac.  It's beautiful in the fall season in the states.  NJoy