Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina)

Zone 3 self-fertile: The northernmost member of a mostly tropical and subtropical family, this small bushy tree definitely looks tropical! It prefers sunny dry sites and can reach 6 meters but is usually around 3 meters. Its red hairy berry clusters can be used to make a local kind of pink lemonade: macerate in water and add honey or sugar. The berry clusters can also be dried and used with rice and other foods to add a little zesty taste like its cousin from the Middle East. An important source of pollen for the bees after the flowering of hawthorn. It can be invasive, however.