This plant grows in Northwest Indiana and in Southwest Michigan. I do not see it often, but is always in a group of other large plants and trees, ususally beyong where a mower can go. The shortest I have ever seen it is about 7 ft. tall and it usually gets as tall as the surrounding brush/trees. The cone shape is upside down on the branch. The point of the cone growing toward the sky. The pink part is fuzzy while the core is beads that are whiteish/greenish. When I was a young girl in scouts this grew on the path to our swimming area. I took a drea once and licked it-it was very sweet. No one seems to be able to tell me what this is. I have been warned that it is very poisonious, but those people still can't tell me what it is. I did not get sick from it and I remember taking several licks. My father (when a young boy) did a scout ID project using poision ivy. He ca chew it and not get a reaction so it is possible that I may not have a reaction to these either. I have been a hiker and camper for my whole life and not yet had a reaction to any poision plants even though I have touched them. However, when I tore this off to ask others even with my warning they touched it so I am very curious that they may develop a reaction tonight. Please help, thanks, Andie
Thank you! I looked up both and I think it is Rhus Typhina as those clusters seem to be denser in all the pictures than the R. glabra. I read quite a bit on both and it seems that Rhus Typhina can have a sweet taste early on while the other is tart throughout maturation. It is nice to know that both of these and others in the same family are all edible and have been used for a long time as remedies and recepies. I think it quite possible that maybe the people who told me it was poisonious at one time knew it to be from the sumac family or saw the leaves and assumed it was poison sumac. Thank you again.
