poison sumac
noun
: a swamp shrub (Toxicodendron vernix synonym Rhus vernix) chiefly of the eastern U.S. and Canada that has pinnate leaves, greenish flowers, and greenish white berries and produces an irritating oil
called also poison dogwood
Examples of poison sumac in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Brush against poison sumac and that oily compound gets on your skin, causing itchy blisters and rashes that show up 8 to 48 hours after exposure and can last for weeks.
—
Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2024
Like its cousins, poison oak and poison ivy, poison sumac contains urushiol in every part of the plant, but is more toxic.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2024
Itching and stinging: Breast milk has been used on the skin to relieve the sting and itching of insect bites, bee stings, chicken pox, poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.
—Donna Murray, Rn, Parents, 29 July 2024
Common Types of Rashes and Conditions Treated Some of the common skin rashes and irritations that calamine lotion can help relieve include the following:
Poison ivy/poison oak/poison sumac rash: These rashes are caused by oil from poisonous plants.
—Megan Nunn, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 26 July 2024
In June and July, poison sumac has yellowish-green flowers.
—Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 3 July 2024
But unlike poison ivy and oak, poison sumac's leaves grow in pairs.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 29 July 2023
Poison ivy is in the Toxicodendron genus of plants, which also includes other notoriously itchy flora, like poison oak and poison sumac.
—Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, 11 July 2023
For example, check out Boericke & Tafel’s Oral Ivy Liquid ($15 for a 1-ounce bottle on Amazon.com), a homeopathic product that is made from poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.
—Steven Salzberg, Forbes, 25 July 2022
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Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2024
Like its cousins, poison oak and poison ivy, poison sumac contains urushiol in every part of the plant, but is more toxic.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2024
Itching and stinging: Breast milk has been used on the skin to relieve the sting and itching of insect bites, bee stings, chicken pox, poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.
—Donna Murray, Rn, Parents, 29 July 2024
Common Types of Rashes and Conditions Treated Some of the common skin rashes and irritations that calamine lotion can help relieve include the following:
Poison ivy/poison oak/poison sumac rash: These rashes are caused by oil from poisonous plants.
—Megan Nunn, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 26 July 2024
In June and July, poison sumac has yellowish-green flowers.
—Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 3 July 2024
But unlike poison ivy and oak, poison sumac's leaves grow in pairs.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 29 July 2023
Poison ivy is in the Toxicodendron genus of plants, which also includes other notoriously itchy flora, like poison oak and poison sumac.
—Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, 11 July 2023
For example, check out Boericke & Tafel’s Oral Ivy Liquid ($15 for a 1-ounce bottle on Amazon.com), a homeopathic product that is made from poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.
—Steven Salzberg, Forbes, 25 July 2022
Cite this Entry
“Poison sumac.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/poison%20sumac. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
poison sumac
noun
poison su·mac
-ˈs(h)ü-ˌmak 
: an American swamp shrub of the genus Rhus (R. vernix synonym Toxicodendron vernix) that has smooth pinnate leaves, greenish flowers, and greenish white berries and produces an irritating oil
called also poison dogwood
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