SEEDS OF SICILIAN SUMAC - RHUS CORIARIA

Mediterranean shrub, dry tolerant of many uses.  Ornamental in clumps with its beautiful autumnal foliage and good groundcover. Once ripe the fruit can replace vinegar or limon, used as a condiment in many recipes in the world.

This species is highly appreciated in the leather tanning industry for its tannins. In the past its astringent properties were appreciated even if domestic use was not recommended for its side effects. Very useful for game cover and to stop erosion, creating hedges. The foliage turns reddish in autumn. Also cultivated for cosmetic and medicinal industries for its astringent properties and the extraction of dyes.

Deciduous plant a little higher than 1m with dark green downy and lanceolate leaves. Yellow scented and little clustered flowers. The fruit is a reddish berry.

It needs sandy, light soils from neutral to acid ones.

Place the seeds in boiling water at 90ºC and soak for 48h. Stratify in cold the seeds for 30 days before the sowing in spring.