The much maligned sumac. Widely regarded as a road side weed, and often assumed to be poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix). Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina, and the closely related Smooth sumac, R. glabra) is an important part of ecosystems throughout the northeastern United States. It grows in thin soil, dry soil, nutrient poor soil, and steep slopes, making it important for erosion control and restoration. It also provides food and shelter for a number of butterfly species, attracts large numbers of local bees, and is an important winter food crop for for squirrels, rabbits, and a large number of birds, including robins, mockingbirds, crows, bluebirds, pheasants, and wild turkeys! 🦃 As a kid, I remember using the springy narrow trunks of young sumac trees growing in the woods behind our apartment as catapults. #sumac #rhus #rhustyphina #rhusglabra #staghornsumac #smoothsumac #ecosystem #habitat #restoration #erosion #erosioncontrol (at SUNY Poly Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering)