Staghorn Sumac
There is Sumac all along the Sakatah and it forms a lot of the background trail foliage, it tends
to appear in patches in open areas. Specific areas include about a half a mile before the Eagle Lake
bridge, an area in the trail where is makes an S turn, shortly after the rail crossing. The area also
has wild plums. Also, between Elysian and Waterville there is a good stand of Sumac.
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| Midsummer Sumac |
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Fall Sumac |
I think that Sumac provides some of the brightest fall colors, the intense reds - almost brown. Sumac "fruit"
stays on the branches long after fall, it is edible and considered a survival food, but you are much too
close to civilization to want to take advantage of this fact.
Sumac provides winter food for some birds. I have personally stopped and observed a Chickadee in late fall
rummaging through the red fruit, pulling out the seeds, and eating them.
Sumac is a general term for a species of plant that has a lot of variations throughout the world. What is on
the Sakatah would be considered "Staghorn Sumac".