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Staghorn Sumac – Rhus Typhina

Staghorn Sumac

staghorn sumac

Driving around during September in New York you will eventually come across a group of small trees growing in dense stands. The leaves will be a deep red and large conical red hairy fruits called drupes may be at the end of branches. This is the common Staghorn Sumac which is a deciduous shrub to small tree. It grows quite aggressively. Because staghorn sumac can grow by its roots (rhizomes), and once established it can be a pain to remove.

Description:

Staghorn Sumac grows 10’ – 35’ tall. As can be seen in the picture, the leaves are alternate & compound growing approximately 24” long with 10 – 32 serrate leaflets. Each leaf grows to 12” long. The leaf stalks and the stems are densely covered in rust-colored hairs. Mature trunks are smooth and hairless. Interestingly, only female plants produce flowers and berries. The red berries grow at the end of branches. The plant flowers from May to July and fruit, the drupes, ripen from June to September. As can be seen in the pictures, they grow in upright bunches. Each cluster of drupes may contain 100 to 700 seeds

Habitat:

Staghorn sumac grows in gardens, lawns, the edges of forests, and wasteland. It can grow under a wide array of conditions, but is most often found in open areas which are not already established by other trees.

staghorn sumac branches can have tiny hairsLocation:

Staghorn sumac is found throughout the eastern half of the United States and Canada from western Ontario, south to Oklahoma into the Gulf Coast States and eastward to all the Atlantic States and eastern Canada.

Edible:

The fruit of sumacs can be collected, soaked and washed in cold water, strained, sweetened and made into a lemonade-like drink.

Notes of Interest:

Staghorn sumac spreads by seeds, and by its roots, rhizomes, to form “stands”.

The staghorn sumac derives its name from the countless tiny hairs covering its branches and resembling the tines of a deer’s antler when in velvet.

All parts of the staghorn sumac, except the roots, can be used as a natural dye.

Native Americans used the berries from staghorn sumac to make a drink.

The berries and bark are an important source of food for birds (upland games birds as well as song birds) and small mammals.

Staghorn sumac can form with either male or female plants.

 

Blackberry Information

BLACKBERRY

Blackberry fruit is sweet and tastes great but may be seedy
– Rubus procerus / ROSACEAE Rose family

Other Common Names for Blackberry: R. procerus: Himalaya Blackberry, raspberry, blackcap

The blackberry is a widely spread wild food that is easily identified. Not only are the berries edible but the leaves can be used in teas and infusions.

Description:

Blackberry can be a Shrub or bush-like perennial, can have trailing or climbing canes (most usual), thorned or smooth (usually domestic varieties). Blackberry leaves are simple and lobed to compound. Blackberry fruit is a berry generally in multiple drupelets. R. procerus: Bushy, large, dense clusters; stems stout, multiple, arching, thorned, up to 10 m long. As can be seen in the picture, blackberry leaves are divided into 3 or 5 leaflets, sharply toothed, 1.5-3.5 cm. Typically the fruit is black when mature. The flowers of blackberry generally are small and white. Bees are always active during flowering. Once flower petals drop fruit begins to develop. Unripe fruit looks segmented and like small examples of ripe fruit only white in color.

Location:

Blackberries are found throughout North America, generally in uncultivated and burn areas. Their habitat is extremely varied. Many times along roads or on the edge of border areas. This is one of my favorite wild fruits to pick while out on hiking or fishing trips.

Blackberry canes many times have sharp thornsSeason: Blooms in spring and early summer; fruit late summer and autumn. On of the earlier thorned stems to leaf out in the spring.

Edible:

Young shoots in spring; berries ripen in late summer and autumn. The fruit can be very seedy so be careful.

Preparation:

The young shoots can be cut just above the ground, peeled and eaten raw or cooked. Beginning in late summer the berries of most species are available. The berry can be eaten raw, boiled down to a syrup, squeezed for juice, cooked with stews or made into preserves, pies, and even wine. Leaves can be dried and used to make a tea substitute.

Growing your Own:

Blackberry plants are fairly easy to grow. I have gone from “stealing” Blackberry leaves are generally in threes and are serratedwild cane to buying from a garden center. My experience is that domestic varieties are juicy and sweet while wild blackberry is sweet but rather seedy. The only wild blackberry I ever really liked as much as a quality domestic were the blackberries in the Pacific Northwest – Oregon and Washington. Anyway, I would suggest buying your plants from a quality supplier like Burpee. The blackberry should be planted late fall or early spring with room to grow and in a place where ‘pretty’ isn’t super important. The plants will spread through shallow runners. You will need to control the spread by planting in a raised bed or by routinely digging them out.

After harvesting your crop, it would be smart to treat the plants  with a preventative general purpose fungicide. It should help to prolong the life of your patch.

Other maintenance is cutting old canes (big brown) or dead canes back after fruiting.

Notes of Interest:

Noted for its sweet delicious taste. The berries and root have medicinal properties useful for treating diarrhea. Blackberries and strawberries are very high in ellagic acid which is an antioxidant.

Try our blackberry recipes

If you want to grow your own blackberry patch – use a quality company such as Burpee

Blackberry Roll Recipe

Blackberry Roll Recipe

Ingredients

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar (divided use)
4 T. shortening
2/3 – 3/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
6 cups fresh blackberries (divided use)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Powdered sugar
Whipped cream

Instructions

To make your blackberry roll, combine flour, salt, baking powder and 1 teaspoon sugar. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender. If you wish, you can use a food processor. Be careful not to over mix and when adding the shortening to the processor just pulse 5 – 8 times.

Add milk; mix well. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured board; knead several times until you can form a nice round dough ball. With a rolling pin, roll out the blackberry roll ball to a thickness of 1/3-inch then brush with some melted butter.

Place the 3 cups of the berries evenly on the dough, sprinkle the 1/2 cup of the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg evenly around. Roll the dough up like a jelly roll, pinching seams together. Brush with melted butter.

Place in a well-oiled – you can spray with Pam (less calories), 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Surround with remaining berries and sugar. Bake at 425°F. for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle the blackberry roll with powdered sugar. Slice and serve with sauce from the pan and a dollop of whipped cream.

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Blackberry Trifle Recipe

Blackberry Trifle Recipe

Ingredients

12 ladyfingers or ginger bread
4 cups fresh blackberries
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons brandy extract
6 almond macaroons, crushed
8 cups vanilla pudding
4 cups whipped topping
1/2 cup slivered toasted almonds

Instructions

To make blackberry trifle, mix flour and sugar, combine the berries and stir gently.

Arrange bottom halves of lady fingers (or crumbled ginger bread) in single layer in bottom of a 9 x 9-inch pan. Spread with blackberry mixture evenly around.

Place a second layer of ladyfingers on top. Mix orange juice and brandy extract. Pour over ladyfingers. Hand crush macaroons and sprinkle over top. Cover with pudding. Allow to chill and set for 1 hour. Spread whipped topping over pudding. Decorate with toasted almonds.

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Blackberry Pie Recipe

Blackberry Pie Recipe

Ingredients

Pre-made store bought pie crust
3 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon of orange zest
3 cups of blackberries
2 tablespoons of blackberry brandy
2 tablespoons of sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Sift 3 tablespoons of flour with 1 cup of sugar and mix lightly with the orange zest. Add the 3 cups of blackberries into the mixture then pour into the pie dish.

You can either cover the pie filing with the top crust (if you do so make sure you cut vents in the crust to allow steam to escape). If you decide to cover, brush the top crust with some melted butter and sprinkle some sugar evenly on top.

You can also take the top crust and cut it into strips and then make a lattice on top of the pie filling. Brush the top crust with melted butter and sprinkle on a very light coat of sugar approximately 2 tablespoons. This makes an amazing presentation when done correctly.

Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for about another 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. When you take the blackberry pie out of the oven pour the brandy into the vents or between the lattice.

If you want to make the blackberry pie go over the top, add a dollop of whipped cream on top and a scoop of vanilla ice cream along side. Then serve with some of the brandy.

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Blackberry Tart Recipe

Blackberry Tart Recipe

Ingredients

Pastry:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sour cream

Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2-3/4 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream

Topping:
4 cups blackberries

Glaze:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

To make the blackberry tart: For crust, blend flour and butter with pastry cutter. The flour should be crumbly when the butter is fully cut in. Also, make sure you do not overheat the mixture. If you do, place the flour/butter mixture in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Add cold sour cream. Chill for 8 hours or overnight. Roll out and place in bottom of pan, preferably a tart pan. Bake in 350°F. oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool.

For cream filling, blend cream cheese and sugar until smooth. It is easy to mix with a hand blender or larger counter top mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sour cream until smooth.

Evenly spread cream filling over crust. Arrange 3 cups of berries on top of filling. Refrigerate one hour. Squish remaining berries for juice. Combine juice with water, sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Cook until sauce thickens and clears. Add lemon juice. Cool. Brush over blackberry tart and return to fridge until ready to serve.

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