A plant for Andrew Lloyd Webber

Staghorn Sumac is a member of a noxious family of plants, which includes poison ivy and poison oak, as well as the non-poisonous and highly edible cashew. But this sumac's claim to fame isn't being poisonous or bearing tasty nuts -- instead it produces some of the finest fall color in the northern forests. Color that ALW would have been proud to see in Joseph's amazing technicolor dreamcoat.

Length of exposure to sunlight daily seems to make a big difference in the development of the color, because shaded plants are now still yellow to orange, while those in the bright sun are a brilliant red. Remember that sun is essential for photosynthetic production of sugar, which accumulates in the leaves in the fall to combine with a protein to make anthocyanin => red color.

With sunlight behind the leaves, they light up with dazzling intensity.



Although Staghorn Sumac doesn't seem to be good for very much, Native Americans crushed the berries to make a lemonade-type drink, and apparently you can make a fairly decent wine out of the berries, which look like this in early summer (picture from Wikipedia's entry on Staghorn Sumac). You can see where the plant gets its name, from the velvety covering of the prominent fruiting structure.

The seeds remain on the plant all winter as a food source for wildlife, although there is little nutritional value in them after the fruity flesh covering has dried up.

Now that we are well into Indian Summer here in the Twin Cities, fall color is in full swing, giving us landscapes like this one below. However, suburban landscapes are not nearly as dramatic as that up along the north shore of Lake Superior, especially this year. For some really dramatic photos of the fall color there, please click on this link to Paul Sundberg's photo gallery.

http://www.paulsundbergphotography.com/Photo-of-the-Week/Photo-of-the-week-2011/October-2-2011/19301892_3Cfskr#1507482562_dnB2bbZ