Full Moon in Sagittarius! Spotlight on Sumac

Happy Full Moon in Sagittarius! I hope this lunation is bringing you a much-needed boost of optimism and an uplifting philosophy of life.  Sagittarius is represented by a centaur: a mystical creature with a human torso and horse’s body, known for its talents for being a sage on the stage, a worldly-wise party animal, and a wonder-seeking wizard of wanderlust. The centaur is the fastest-moving creature of the zodiac.* Go, go, go. Move, move, move. That’s the Sagittarius impulse! There are new places to visit, new horizons to cross, new adventures to discover! 

*Technically a lion (Leo) can run faster than a horse at full speed. However, lions don’t enjoy running, preferring to sleep most of the time. Whereas horses are constantly moving around. In fact, horses sleep almost the inverse number of hours as lions—only 3 hours per day, compared to lions’ 20 hours per day! Lions run in short bursts, but horses can sustain their speed for longer. So if you average it out over time, horses are faster.

One herb that supports the Sagittarian energy is Sumac.  The Sumac tree shares Sagittarius’ love of travel— the plant reproduces prolifically, sending rhizomes tunneling through the earth, eager for a new adventure, in addition to its seeds that are eaten by birds, then dropped out into faraway new terrain.  Many gardeners get frustrated when these hardy, prolific tree saplings pop up all over the place, unwanted.  But if you can allow space for it, Sumac is a great friend!  Taken internally, it gets the fluids in your body all nice and squeezed out, moving them right along, letting nothing stagnate.  Go, go, go, move, move, move.  Sumac gently perks you up (without caffeine) and brightens your day with its tart, sweet flavor. 

What about Poison?

Before diving deeper into Sumac, let’s quickly discuss the party-pooper in the room: poison.  I was doing a word puzzle several months ago and was dismayed by the clue “poisonous plant,” with the answer being “Sumac.”  I thought this was sad and unfair, to have this be the first thing people think when they hear the name “Sumac.”  Poor Sumac, getting its reputation sullied by that ONE mean cousin in the family! 

And actually, Poison Sumac and Staghorn Sumac (the kind we work with most often in herbalism) aren’t even really closely related. Technically they are in the same botanical family, but not the same genus.  Poison and Staghorn Sumacs are not like brothers; they are more like second-cousins that you’ve never met, but you’ve seen pictures in photo albums, and you look nothing alike and have nothing in common.  People getting you confused with each other would be pretty strange.

However, it is important to be really sure, because Poison Sumac is very toxic to humans. You do NOT want to mess with it!  Even touching the bark can cause severe rashes. Thankfully, it is easy to tell the difference between Poison Sumac and Staghorn Sumac. Here’s an article with images to help you identify Poison Sumac.  And here, I made a table to compare them. (Stupid Substack doesn’t let me add tables, so I had to screenshot this as an image. This is less than ideal for ADA accessibility, grrr.) 

A joyful presence

OK, now that you know how to avoid the Poison Sumac, let’s talk about delicious Staghorn Sumac (or Lebanese Sumac)!

When I was a child, the neighbor across the street had a Staghorn Sumac tree in their yard, and I remember staring out the window at it, fascinated by its jungle-like leaves, exuberant shape, and unique fruits, which stick up all over the place like auburn flames.  I did not know that the tree was edible, but I felt it had a special energy.  The tree looks like someone with excited, outstretched arms, happy to greet the world! At the same time, it gave off a bit of a mystical quality. I still remember feeling a little flutter inside when I looked at it— not quite fear… but the flutter that said, “if you work with me, get ready to go on an adventure!”

Materia Medica Data

Latin Name: Rhus typhina or R. coriara

Other Names: Staghorn Sumac, Vinegar Tree, Lebanese Sumac

Plant parts used: Berries, leaves, and bark

Energetics: cooling, drying, tonifying

Herbalistic Properties: astringent, mucous membrane tonic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, vulnerary, diuretic, refrigerant, immune stimulant, nutritive, antifungal

Incomplete list of ailments traditionally treated: edema, prevent respiratory infections, stagnant lymph, diabetes, chronic thirst, blood sugar, weaning off sugar, head colds, flu, viral infections, chest colds, spider veins, hemorrhoids, infected wounds, infected gums, diarrhea, weeping wounds, hot swellings, inflammation, insulin resistance, post-nasal drip (PND), skin fungal infections, canker sores, muscle pains, allergies

Astrological Rulership: Jupiter (Culpeper). Mercury and Saturn (Lilly).  

As a reminder, most older sources do not usually provide their reasoning for assigning rulerships.  I’m guessing that the Jupiter and Mercury connections probably relate to Sumac’s benefits for the respiratory system.  Saturn might connect to its benefits for the immune system, as well as its cooling properties. 

I believe there is a connection to the sign of Sagittarius as well, as it promotes a positive attitude, prevents stagnation and conditions of too much wetness, and supports an active lifestyle.

History: A spice blend called Za’atar is widely used throughout the Middle East, and its origins may go back to ancient Egypt.  Every family has their own recipe for this blend, of course, but dried Sumac berry is often included.  Dried and crushed Sumac berry is often used on its own as a spice for Middle Eastern food, and it is delicious!  (When I was in college, I used to work at a cafe owned by a family from Jordan. They sprinkled Sumac on their hummus, and that’s when I fell in love with the flavor. It is tart, with some depth to it.)

Sumac leaves and bark have a very long medicinal history in Asia to treat conditions like diarrhea, fevers with sweating, ulcers, and other ailments.  Sumac was also worked with by the indigenous peoples on the North American continent, in similar ways.

How to work with Sumac:

If you have a Sagittarius friend, you are probably familiar with their zest for life. They are someone to turn to when you need someone to help you buck up, stop feeling sorry for yourself, and get back to the party! Their optimism and forward-looking mentality can be contagious and helpful, when depressive emotions linger too long. I think of Sumac as a similar friend. One of its emotional effects is to gently boost the mood and promote a positive attitude.  I have noticed that drinking Sumac tea or juice can provide a moment of delight and the sense that “maybe it’s not quite as bad as I thought.”

Denying emotions is never helpful, BUT there is such a thing as wallowing in them too long. Emotions need to move through you, not get stuck in repeat mode.  The same is true for the waters in our body.  When interstitial fluids get stuck, it’s a condition sometimes called edema. In such cases, herbs that tonify the tissues and encourage movement are just what you need. The leaves and bark of Sumac have the strongest action in this regard, but the berries also work. You can apply them topically, and take the tea or tincture internally.

Sumac berry tea is gentle enough to drink every day. It is high in nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin B 12, quercetin, the heart-healthy kind of fat, and bioflavonoids. It’s also bursting with antioxidants, which can help detoxify the body and reduce inflammation.

If you get a little too much exercise (as restless Sagittarius is wont to do), and your muscles are sore, some Sumac tea may be just the ticket. Sumac is excellent for the muscles in general, with its energy-boosting nutrient profile and anti-inflammatory actions.

Modern herbalists sometimes call on Sumac for its support in reducing blood sugar, as well as reducing sugar cravings. This is helpful for conditions exacerbated by excess blood sugar, such as diabetes or certain cardiovascular conditions. 

Sumac-ade

One way to gently wean oneself off of a high-sugar diet is to drink “Sumac-ade” every day.  (Recipe below.) Start by making a pitcher with the amount of sugar you are used to, minus 1/4th. (If you can tolerate the taste, try honey instead of sugar. Honey is better for you than refined sugar!) Drink the Sumac-ade throughout the day, every day, in place of soda or other high-sugar drinks. Then the next week, subtract 1/4th of the sugar again when you make the juice. And the following week reduce more sugar. And so on. 

The constituents in the Sumac work with the body to adjust hormonal responses that cause sugar cravings, as well as support a healthy insulin response.  This is by no means the only intervention you will need, if you are working with blood sugar problems, but it can be part of a holistic solution! And Sumac-ade, with its pretty pink color and lovely taste, is such a delightful treat! You won’t feel like you’re depriving yourself!

Here is a receipe for Sumac-ade!

• 1 cup ground, dried Sumac berries OR 2 cups fresh Sumac berries, lightly rinsed

• Sugar or honey to taste (see above paragraph)

• Dash of cinnamon

• 2 quarts water

Place all ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil, stirring often. If using fresh berries, be sure to crush them lightly while stirring, to release as much juice as possible.  Remove from heat. Let it sit, covered, for 4 hours. (This is to extract as many nutrients as possible before straining.) Strain into a pitcher and keep in the refrigerator. 

Enjoy!