How to Identify Staghorn Sumac Seeds
- 1). Identify the plant. Look along roadsides, fence lines, and in untended fields for short trees that grow in dense clusters. The trees have compound leaves with multiple-toothed, lance-shaped leaflets attached to a central stem. The leaves are clustered at the top of the trunk.
- 2). Find dark-red, upright spikes that rise above the leaves. The red spikes are clusters of fuzzy, red berries. The berries have small red hairs that make each fruit look and feel fuzzy. The berries are drupes that have a hard central seed surrounded by fleshy fruit.
- 3). Examine the seeds with a magnifying glass. Staghorn sumac seeds without their seed coats look much like small lima beans or corn kennels. Each seed is smooth and hard to the touch. The seeds are 1/2 to 1 inch long, and tan to green in color.
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