The sumac plant (or vinegar tree) is a beautiful evergreen representative of the flora. Its homeland is North America, where it grows in large quantities. This tree has an original appearance and is often used by landscape design masters to decorate parks, gardens, and summer cottages. In our latitudes, this plant has not taken root so well, but if you follow all the rules of cultivation and care, you can get a beautiful and voluminous tree.
Description of the plant
The vinegar tree (sumac) has an external resemblance to a palm tree. It has the same spreading crown, consisting of wide and long leaves. IN wildlife the height of the plant can reach ten meters, however, in landscape art it is limited to only six. Almost always, the vinegar tree grows straight, without unnecessary bends. As the tree matures, wide shoots grow, which form an increasingly spreading crown every year. Sumac grows quickly, but requires a lot of space.
The shoots of the tree are thickened and colored brown or light brown. The leaves of the tree are elongated, pointed and have a velvety surface. The lower part of the leaf is lighter than the upper. With the onset of autumn, the tree is transformed and repainted in yellow, orange and red colors. It is because of this feature that many landscape designers love it.
The plant blooms from mid-June to the end of July. The flowers are small and collected in inflorescences shaped like pyramids. After the leaves fall, the sumac inflorescences are replaced by original fruits, which attract the attention of not only people, but also birds.
Found in the wild huge amount types of sumac, each of which differs in its appearance and properties. However, not all of them are used as ornamental plants. This is due to the fact that most of them are poisonous and can harm human health. There are species that are so toxic that accidental contact with their foliage will be enough to cause a burn on the skin. The most poisonous are: toxicodendron fluffy and poisonous sumac. Only three types of this plant are used for decoration. In addition to the staghorn sumac (vinegar tree), these are:
Growing and care
Planting and caring for a sumac tree is quite simple and does not require any gardening skills. If you follow all the recommendations of professionals, you can easily grow a beautiful ornamental tree.
Basic principles
Staghorn sumac is rightfully considered one of the most the best plants for dirty and dusty cities. He loves a lot sunlight and prefers open areas. In order to raise this handsome boy, The following principles of planting and care must be observed:
Tree care
In terms of care, sumac is one of the most unpretentious plants. The vinegar tree is absolutely not afraid of sudden changes in temperature and does not require additional watering even in the hottest period of the year. At proper care the tree can bloom several times a year. In addition to all these benefits, sumac does not require any feeding and can completely do without fertilizers.
The main feature of caring for this type of sumac is the ban on pruning it. It is only allowed to remove dried and damaged branches. Such non-interference will allow you to fully enjoy the original crown pattern, which is characteristic only of an adult tree.
If a plant can do without a person, its roots cannot. They need constant care and attention. Sumac is one of those plants that grows very quickly and produces large number root shoots. All of them need to be constantly pruned, otherwise they fill the entire space around the tree.
This plant, even in the cold season, requires minimal human intervention. Staghorn sumac overwinters well and does not need any shelter. During winter, only two-thirds of the length of the shoots of the plant become woody, so it easily recovers with the first warmth.
Plant propagation
This type of sumac reproduces best vegetatively. The root system constantly produces new shoots, which makes it possible to obtain propagation material in the quantity each gardener needs. When one of the seedlings is separated, it is transferred to a new place and simply dug into the ground. This will be enough for the plant to germinate and adapt to new conditions.
More complex process to be done when propagating sumac by seeds. Their germination capacity lasts only for three years, and only two percent of them can germinate. All sprouted plants grow weak and rarely live to be twenty years old.
Pests and diseases
The most common problem with staghorn sumac is fungal diseases. Powdery mildew is the most common. These fungi spread through soil or airborne routes. They envelop the leaves of the plant and cover them with a white web, which over time turns into plaque. It very quickly infects neighboring leaves and is transmitted throughout the tree.
In this case, without human help, the tree has no chance of survival. Therefore, as soon as you notice the slightest changes on the leaves, you need to start treatment. To do this, you need to remove the diseased shoot and check those adjacent to it. You can treat a tree folk remedies, but they are best used as a preventive measure. On late stages diseases, chemicals are used to save the plant.
Another common problem is drying out of branches and shoots. It manifests itself after damage to the plant bark, which cracks and leads to drying of the branch. This disease can only be combated by cutting off the damaged areas or treating them with special chemicals.
Areas of application of sumac
The use of vinegar tree is limited not only to its decorative properties, but also to its medicinal properties. This plant is widely used in landscape decoration, medicine and cooking.
In landscape design
Staghorn sumac is very unpretentious and does not require special care. It has a chic appearance, which attracts gardeners all over the world. His design skills are especially evident in the fall, when the tree changes the color of its foliage. It is simply impossible to pass by him during this period. Sumac is most often used in the following cases:
In folk medicine
The fruits of this plant are valued for their medicinal properties, therefore widely used in folk medicine. The plant contains tannins, oils and acids, which are excellent antioxidants. The leaves of the tree are no less useful. They have a wound healing and anti-inflammatory effect.
Sumac treats the following diseases:
In addition, sumac fruits perfectly cleanse the human body of harmful toxins.
In addition to all the above beneficial properties, staghorn sumac also has contraindications. These should include the following:
- You should not eat the fruits of staghorn sumac if you have poor blood clotting or thrombosis.
- People suffering from stomach ulcers and acute gastritis should exclude this plant from their diet.
- People with disabilities carbohydrate metabolism Sumac should be consumed in in moderation, and if your health worsens, abandon it altogether.
Cooking
Sumac fruits are used by chefs around the world as a seasoning. It is highly valued because it is a good natural preservative and allows you to increase the shelf life of food. This seasoning is most often used to prepare oriental dishes:
The vinegar tree is one of the most beautiful and useful representatives of the flora. Due to its appearance, this plant is widely used in landscape design.
Its fruits have a large number useful substances and are often used to treat various diseases. If you have the opportunity, be sure to plant such a tree on your site. Over time, you will be able to fully enjoy its incredible beauty.
Vinegar tree
The sumac tree, which is not easy to plant and care for, is in demand in many countries around the world. It is a pleasure to grow such a plant in your garden. By following generally accepted rules, you can short time get an unusually beautiful tree, which is one of the most ancient plants on our planet.
Sumac tree: features and types of plant
Among the many ornamental trees, sumac occupies special place. It is distinguished by beautiful leaves and extraordinary inflorescences, which delight all passers-by from early spring to late autumn.
With proper care, the vinegar tree can grow for 20 years.
Plant types:
There are several varieties of downy sumac. They differ in the shape of the crown and the color of the leaf blades.
Sumac tree: planting and care
Growing sumac is a simple process. Even a novice gardener can cope with this task. By following all the recommendations, you can grow a beautiful ornamental tree without any effort.
If the seedling is not straight, it means it has been pruned.
Selection of seedlings
When buying planting material, you need to pay attention to the crown and branches. The tree should be symmetrical and the leaves should be even, without any defects.
It is necessary to pay attention to the condition of the root system. You should buy those specimens whose roots are even and well developed. It is not recommended to buy plants with damaged stems. Often such specimens do not take root.
Selecting a location
It is necessary to plant the tree in areas that are well lit by the sun. Sumac can grow in the shade, but in this case the leaves and inflorescences will not be as colorful.
You should not place the plant between other trees, even if they are short. This may negatively affect its development.
It should also be noted that sumac does not like strong winds. Therefore, the area where it is planned to be planted must be well protected from drafts.
Soil for sumac
The vinegar tree develops best on loose and fairly dry soils. Seedlings can be planted in sandy, sandy-clayey and sandy-rocky soils.
Sumac does not tolerate much moisture. Therefore, if in the selected area there are close groundwater, then it is better to abandon the idea of planting it there. The entire tree will not be as beautiful as it should be.
Sumac thrives in soils with average salinity. It also develops well in areas with limestone.
How to plant seedlings correctly
Planting is carried out in Vienna or in the fall. Seedlings must be at least 2 years old. To begin, prepare the dimple. Its dimensions should be the same as an earthen ball around the root system.
Mix the soil from the hole thoroughly with a shovel. This is necessary so that the young plant takes root well and quickly.
Place the seedling in the hole. Spread the roots well around the entire perimeter of the recess. Then fill the empty space with prepared soil.
If you plan to plant several trees at once on one site, then you should remember that the distance between trees should be at least 2.5 m.
Proper care of an ornamental tree
To ensure that the vinegar tree is always beautiful and healthy, you need to follow simple rules. Only in this way will it be possible to observe the beauty of inflorescences and leaves for 20 years.
Irrigation and fertilization
Care should begin immediately after planting. The first thing to do is around the trunk. To do this, use sawdust or small wood chips. The mulch layer should be within 6 cm.
Young trees are irrigated only on dry days. To do this, use water that has stood in direct sunlight for at least two hours.
Fertilize sumac in the spring. For this purpose, nitroammophoska is used. About 30 g of fertilizer is added per 1 m2.
Pruning sumac
Since the plant does not tolerate frost well, many branches dry out after winter. Therefore, in the spring, the first thing to do is to remove all dead shoots. To carry out the procedure, it is recommended to use sharp garden shears, or.
When removing branches, yellowish juice forms at the cut site, which hardens after some time.
For those who want the tree to grow wider and not higher, the top shoots should be removed. This way the sumac will look much more attractive and interesting.
Possible diseases and pests
Most often, fungal diseases can be observed on the vinegar tree. The most dangerous is.
This disease can be identified by the white cobwebs that abundantly cover the leaves. A few days later, a light coating appears in its place. If nothing is done, the sumac may die.
Powdery mildew is caused by too hot or humid weather. It may also lead to white plaque excess nitrogen.
To prevent the tree from contracting this disease, it is necessary to systematically remove weeds around the trunk, as well as periodically loosen the soil. But if, nevertheless, the plant begins to be affected by powdery mildew, then it will need to be treated special means, which can be purchased at a flower shop.
Sumac is not only very beautiful, but also incredible useful plant. The vinegar tree has been used in folk medicine for many years. Thanks to unique properties, which it possesses, can cure many different diseases.
Miracle tree in the garden - video
It is a pity that winter is not a full-fledged gardening season. Well-planned landscapes of our sites and under the snow can be extraordinarily beautiful. There is confirmation of this - the decorative staghorn sumac, planting and caring for which does not take the gardener much time, but gives many pleasant impressions in the winter.
Let’s imagine a frosty, sunny morning, leaving the house to get saturated with pure ozone. The mood immediately rises, and the eyes find individual dots dusted with snow and glowing in the sun. “Deer horns” can be seen on the spreading tree. It turns out that we have a deer living here! Yes, these are fluffy panicles of fluffy sumac, you can touch them and the touch will definitely be pleasant.
Unusual features of wood
The botanical gardens of England, only thanks to this plant, are especially decorative in winter. Indian tribes have been using it in everyday life since ancient times. Sweet and sour fruits serve as the basis for drinks, leaves rich in tannins (polyphenols natural origin), bark, with high content tannins used in home medicine. How astringent, it is indispensable for softening and dressing leather. The fruits are used in the production of highly durable fabric paint.
“Deer sumac” in our latitudes grows only four meters in height, at home - up to ten meters. In our regions with a mild climate it is a full-fledged tree; in the north it looks like a large shrub.
The North American native looks like a palm tree and is beautiful at any time. To take up more space, it scatters its branches widely. In spring, they look like a lace umbrella due to the gracefully arched, velvety leaves up to ten centimeters long. They are distinguished by finely toothed edges, and there are forty of them on one stem. The length of the branches can reach eighty centimeters.
In summer, the plant decorates itself with large, numerous inflorescences in the form of candles. These pyramid-shaped clusters consist of numerous seed-shaped fruits. There are two types of them: female - bright, red, dense and male - green with yellow tint, loose. They emit a rich vinegar smell with subtle notes fresh cucumber, which attracts insects. Thanks to this smell, the plant was given the name “vinegar tree”.
In autumn it looks surprisingly interesting. It is at this time that the peak of the extraordinary decorativeness of sumac comes. Luxurious greenery takes on various picturesque colors, the leaves become purple, carmine, crimson, scarlet, fiery orange.
In winter, when everything around is lifeless and dull, the plant becomes special. The branches acquire a velvety texture of light brown color. Single, branched, sticking up, they look like deer antlers, hence the name “deer-horned” sumac. They retain beautiful clusters of fruits with dark red fluffy hairs until spring.
This conclusion emerged after numerous observations. In areas where the tree grows on its own, where no one is pruning, it is small in size, and the crown is impressively spreading. In pruned specimens, additional shoots are formed, they grow upward and the crown is not at all as beautiful as we would like. If you overdo it, it will turn white and the tree will dry out. So, the plant does not respond well to interference. The gardener should only remove diseased, dried branches.
How long does the bite tree live?
The unusual plant also has a drawback - fragility. His life cycle lasts only twenty years. But it can be reborn without problems by shoots from the roots, taking over neighboring areas even at a long distance from the mother tree.
Growing, care
Landscape designers have long appreciated the unpretentiousness, luxurious, decorative appeal of the sumac tree. It has become a full member of the alleys, parks, gardens, and gardens. But not all gardeners are familiar with it.
This is a dioecious plant that fits perfectly into any design. Its crown always invites rest in the shade of unusual, dense branches. In order for it to delight you with beautiful fruits, you should plant two trees - a female and a male, and they will begin to bear fruit in the fourth year.
Its planting plan is important stage. In this case, the location of all other plantings in this area should be taken into account.
Ideal living conditions for fluffy sumac:
- constant sunlight;
- a lot of free space, planting in fairly open areas;
- With north side protection from winds and drafts is necessary by fencing or any building;
- the soil should be easily permeable.
It is advisable to plant two to three year old seedlings. The root collar should be three to five centimeters underground. The distance between plants must be maintained at least two meters.
Planting correctly
Experienced gardeners recommend purchasing cuttings that have been previously grown in pots in soil with long-acting fertilizers. They can be planted from spring to late autumn and even during the hottest period. The root system perfectly retains its properties and there is a guarantee of good survival. In this case, you will not have to additionally fertilize the soil yourself.
If this is not possible, you should prepare a neutral or slightly alkaline soil composition. For the planting hole, turf soil, sand, and humus are suitable. Then digging up the soil around the seedling is neither necessary nor advisable; it can damage the surface roots.
A newly transplanted vinegar tree (as it is called differently) needs to be watered abundantly. After 24 hours, the root soil should be mulched with a dense peat mass. Watering is carried out rarely, and fertilizing is done once a year. A complex of mineral fertilizers (up to 50g/1m2) is suitable for this purpose.
In winter, during extreme cold, it is necessary to heat a snowball around the tree to protect the roots from freezing. The cover must be large enough.
A little about reproduction
Reproduction decorative tree carried out both by seeds and root shoots. The second method gives best effect. In place of the dug up shoots, new ones immediately appear, and a little later they will be ready for independent life.
To grow downy sumac from seed, you will have to put in some effort. Fresh seeds are taken for sowing. They should be treated with a solution of boiling water and sulfuric acid for two months.
For those who are interested in the plant, it would be useful to know that:
- Only the female tree bears fruit
- Central Asians use powder from the crushed fruits of the vinegar tree as a spicy additive with a spicy and sour taste for preparing meat, fish, kebabs, and barbecue dishes. It perfectly replaces lemon and vinegar. The dish gets a spicy flavor and a color that is pleasing to the eye. The meat fibers soften easily, making the dish tender and soft. The powder goes well with other additives. Its color also colors other foods in the dish. For example, beans, rice, pickled onions
- the main reason for planting such a tree is the presence healing properties in fruits
- from sumac fruits you can prepare a tincture that regulates metabolism in case of severe fat deposits, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus second type
- roots located close to the surface promote the growth of new shoots; having dug up one, numerous others will immediately appear. Due to this, the propagation of sumac is simple and not labor-intensive
- active and intensive growth can turn the area around the tree into thickets, so the gardener will have to monitor the spread of the plant’s roots, including new shoots; slate can be dug in at the required border.
An exotically beautiful plant - staghorn sumac has more than one hundred and fifty species, one of which is sure to become a luxurious exotic highlight of your garden or a bright accent to any landscape composition.
Many of us know sumac as a plant that was previously widely used in industry for its coloring and tanning properties. However, not so long ago, one of the varieties of sumac became popular in our country, performing not so much a utilitarian, but a purely decorative function.
Staghorn sumac, which is also called downy sumac, or vinegar tree, thanks to its spectacular, memorable appearance, managed to quickly win the love of those who are interested in landscape design.
If you haven't already checked this out amazing plant, then our article today will be interesting for you, as in it you will find a lot useful information about what staghorn sumac is and how to use it in landscape design.
Peculiarities
Sumac is a deciduous tree that can reach 10 meters in height, but on average it grows to 3-5 meters.
Sumac has long leaves, consisting of many leaflets about 10 cm long. The trunk and branches of the young plant are covered with small, soft fibers. The fresh shoots that sumac produces are dark red in color, but then they lighten and become brownish-olive.
The height of sumac directly depends on climatic conditions: the milder the climate, the larger the tree grows. In regions where they predominate low temperatures, sumac, as a rule, reaches only the size of a small shrub.
Special attention deserve the fruits of the tree to which it owes much of its popularity. During the flowering period, the plant is covered with fluffy white pyramids consisting of hundreds of inflorescences. When the sumac fades, long, pointed brushes of bright red color take their place. The clusters consist of small bone fruits.
Why is it called the vinegar tree?
Sumac received its second name - “vinegar tree” (or “vinegar”) for one simple reason - because of the very sour taste of its fruits.
In general, the drupe berries that grow on the staghorn sumac are not eaten, as they are considered almost poisonous, because they contain a high percentage of tannins. However, the indigenous people who previously inhabited the territories North America, used a decoction of these berries as vinegar.
It is interesting that not every vinegar tree grows berries: they appear only on female plants. Therefore, experienced gardeners, in order for the tree to cross-pollinate and bear fruit, plant male and female specimens of this plant next to each other.
Why is it called fluffy sumac?
However, sumac can be called “fluffy” not only because of the soft pile that covers new shoots. When leaves appear on the plant, the crown of the tree looks simply luxurious: voluminous, thick, and from a distance it looks like a large, fluffy ball. After the leaves fall, it becomes clear that this impression is deceptive: the staghorn sumac usually has few branches, so without leaves the plant would look rather bald if not for the bright, showy fruits.
Application
If you take a closer look at the characteristics of the vinegar tree, you will find out that this plant is not only purely decorative. It turns out that he is useful application on the farm.
Yes, in cooking Eastern countries The fruits of staghorn sumac are widely used and are added to food in small quantities as a spicy additive. It gives food a spicy, sour taste.
In addition, in some places the custom of using sumac as a source of tannins, which can be used to soften leather and dye it various shades of red, has still been preserved.
Many centuries ago, staghorn sumac served the Indians as the main material for making musical pipes. In addition, there is information that this plant was once used in beekeeping.
Use in ornamental gardening
Amateur gardeners and those who are professionally involved in landscape design have increasingly begun to turn their gaze towards staghorn sumac. This plant looks simply amazing and can decorate even the most modest area.
It is best to plant a vinegar tree as a bright accent, since staghorn sumac is more suitable for the role of a soloist in a landscape composition. This tree loves free space and open areas, so you should not plant other trees and shrubs next to it.
In gardening, sumac is needed not only to please the eye with its exotic beauty. Planted on a slope, it can strengthen the soil and protect it from erosion.
Landing
Staghorn sumac tolerates cold well, so it is ideally suited for growing in our latitudes. We have already said that the vinegar tree should be planted in open areas, free from other large trees and plants.
In addition, in order for the plant to feel comfortable, you need to observe a few more important conditions, namely:
- choose the sunny side of the site for planting;
- organize protection from north wind, that is, build some kind of fence on this side;
- Make sure that the soil for planting is light and loose.
It’s worth saying a little more about the soil: for the vinegar tree, soil that is neutral or slightly alkaline in composition is preferable. A mixture of humus, turf and sand is well suited for planting.
Care
The vinegar tree is a plant that is quite unpretentious in care: it is not afraid of either frost or drought. However, there are several simple rules that must be followed in order to get a healthy and fruit-bearing tree.
- Immediately after planting, the plant must be watered very well, and the next day it must be mulched with peat.
- After the seedling has taken root, there is no need to dig up the soil in which it grows, since in addition to deep roots, it has those that grow close to the soil surface.
- Sumy cannot be pruned in order to give it a beautiful and neat shape - the plant tolerates such interference very poorly. The only thing a gardener can do is to remove dried and diseased branches from time to time.
Features of wintering
The undoubted advantage of staghorn sumac for growing in our country is that it can easily withstand temperatures down to -30 degrees. Even if the tree freezes slightly, it will recover fairly quickly, and in the spring the damage will no longer be noticeable. Branches that have dried out over the winter, if they have not fallen off on their own, can be pruned: very soon new, fresh shoots will grow in their place.
Snow cover must remain around the tree throughout the winter, which is why it is imperative to protect sumac from the north wind. Snow protects root system from freezing, so it is very important that the thickness of the cover is sufficiently large.
Reproduction
Staghorn sumac can be grown from seeds, but propagation of this plant through root shoots occurs much faster and more efficiently. Since they grow very actively near the tree, it will not be difficult to obtain a new generation of plants. In place of the dug up shoots, new ones very quickly appear, which are also soon ready to begin an independent life. Seedlings obtained in this way take root well in a new place.
If you decide to grow a vinegar tree from seed, it will require some effort. Only fresh seeds are suitable for cultivation, but they also require preliminary stratification (within two months), treatment with a solution of sulfuric acid and boiling water.
Sumac or vinegar tree is an evergreen plant that can reach three meters in height. Appearance sumac may remind everyone of the familiar one, especially in the shape of the leaves - they are long with teeth along the edges. This tree has more than 150 different species.
Sumac blooms with fluffy white panicles. In their place, fruits subsequently appear and ripen, which are suitable for use as a spice. They are dried and ground into powder, which has a burgundy color and a sour odor.
Sumac grows almost everywhere, but the greatest variety of species can be found in South Africa.
Basic principles of planting and caring for sumac:
- The plant is unpretentious in the choice of soil, but the ideal substrate for it is: garden soil mixed with sand and humus.
- Sumac loves light, so it is worth choosing the most illuminated area for it.
- The ideal age for planting sumac is open ground– two years, before that it should be grown in a planting container.
- Sumac can be planted in open ground in spring or autumn.
- Two plants should be planted in one hole, since sumac is considered a dioecious plant.
- When planting, the roots must be thoroughly straightened, then buried with earth and watered.
- The distance between plants should not be less than two meters.
- You can dig limiters into the ground that will restrain the rapidly developing root system.
- After planting it will be useful peat or sawdust.
Sumac begins to bloom from the fourth or fifth year of life. Sumac tolerates heat well; an adult tree requires watering only during periods of drought. Young plants require more frequent watering and fertilizing.
Sumac is a southern plant and does not tolerate winter frosts.
It is important to ensure that the tree does not suffer from frostbite or break under the weight of snow. If the sumac is still subject to frostbite, then in the spring it is necessary to prune the affected branches.
Sumac is propagated by seeds and root division. Propagation by seeds is a rather complicated process, since the germination rate of this method is very low and rooting is weak. In order to prepare the seeds for planting, they should be soaked for an hour in sulfuric acid. During the soaking process, the shell is broken. Seeds usually germinate a month after planting.
Sumac is often used in landscape design because of its ease of care. The most common decisions in which they prefer to plant this plant:
- Gardens that do not require special care (sumac can grow independently and in a very short time).
- Fixing uneven areas (slopes and ravines).
- On lawns, to destroy various weeds (sumac has an aggressive and actively developing root system that absorbs nearby plants).
- As a hedge or along a fence.
- In compositions that imply a contrast of colors (after all, in the fall, sumac leaves turn crimson).
The only difficulty when growing sumac is the constant struggle with numerous shoots, because sumac can fill any space, even one that is not intended for it.
The spice from sumac fruit is valued both in cooking and in folk medicine:
- Sumac is an antioxidant because it contains oils, acids and tannins.
- Sumac leaves have an anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect.
Sumy is used for:
- Colds
- Rheumatism
- Gout
- Dysentery and various poisonings
- Neoplasms
- Cleansing the body of toxins
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Diabetes;
- Increased fatigue
However, even with its many advantages, sumac also has contraindications:
- Sumac should not be consumed if you have ulcers or acute form gastritis.
- Also, it should not be used for thrombosis and problems with blood clotting.
- You should be very careful when using sumac if you have impaired carbohydrate metabolism.
The spice sumac has a spicy, sour-astringent taste. It is considered a very valuable component in cooking, as it is a natural preservative and helps keep food fresh for a longer period. Sumac is quite often used in oriental cuisine.
In what dishes is it common to use sumac?
- Most often, the spice is added when preparing kebabs and barbecues. The combination of sumac and lamb is especially good. It softens the meat fibers, making the dish soft and tender.
- Sumac is also added when cooking fish. However, it is important to consider that the bright ruby color of the spice can color the rest of the dish.
- Sumac is often added to bean and rice dishes. They love to use it when preparing pilaf.
- Pickled onions with the addition of sumac acquire an original color and taste.
- To add sourness to baked goods, this spice is also often used.
- When making drinks, sumac can be used as a substitute for citric acid.
- Sumac goes well with other seasonings, especially sesame.
In order to determine the quality of a spice, just look at its color. It should not be dull, as this indicates an expired product. The shelf life of sumac, as a rule, does not exceed a year. However, it should be stored in a tightly closed container, away from sunlight. If you overdo it and add too much spice, the dish will be spoiled, acquiring a sour taste. It is not for nothing that sumac is called the vinegar tree; its fruits contain so much acid that it is quite capable of replacing vinegar and lemon juice.
More information can be found in the video:
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