How does sumac care for us?

Find a colony of Sumacs, often growing by the roadside or in an abandoned lot.  One collective entity, they surround you with their vigorous, stabilizing presence.  Their scent, slightly acidic, carried by the furry red drupes.  Their stems covered with a fine fur remind us of the downy antlers of stags, which marry protection and tenderness, a delicate balance.

Staghorn Sumacs are fast-growing but short-lived, drought-tolerant, but shade intolerant.  They grow in abundant community; their root suckers producing clonal colonies, who are stabilizing, rehabilitating, and can help prevent soil erosion.  Riding through city streets, along highways, through exurban spaces in bright sunny afternoons, they offer gifts that restore balance to the ecosystem, providing a generous energy to all beings who live there.  Their leaves, bark, and seeds are rich with tannins, used for centuries to tan leather and, when boiled, for making a dark black ink.  A favorite pastime in the South is to mix the fruits with water and sugar to make Sumac Lemonade, rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.  

They are pioneers, one of the first to appear in disturbed lands, rehabilitating ecosystems of the land and self that are mined, industrialized, or stripped.  Be with the Staghorn Sumac when you are venturing out into uncertain, even dark territories, when you need to call on your pioneer spirit to begin a new path for yourself and others to find.