Red and green

Wikipedia photo of Staghorn Sumac

Along the banks of the Ottawa the sumac (rhus typhina) leaves are gradually turning red; some of them are still green. I pointed out the bi-coloured sumac bushes to my husband today as we were driving above the river, but because he is red / green colourblind, he said, "I don't see anything different from the usual." It's a pity he misses such a beautiful juxtaposition of colour.

The sumacs' conical fruit (aka drupes) have been red since mid-summer. As First Nations people know, or used to know, apart from their medicinal properties, these plants have numerous other potential uses:

... The leaves are rich in tannin, up to 48% has been obtained in a controlled plantation. They can be collected as they fall in the autumn and used as a brown dye or as a mordant. The bark, especially the root bark, and the fruits are also very rich in tannin. A yellow dye can be obtained from the roots. An orange dye can be obtained from the inner bark and central pith of the stem, mixed with bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). A black ink can be made by boiling the leaves and the fruit. An oil is extracted from the seeds. It attains a tallow-like consistency on standing and is used to make candles. These burn brilliantly, though they emit a pungent smoke. Pipes are made from the young shoots and are used for drawing the sap of sugar maples. They are also used as flutes. The plant has an extensive root system and is planted as a windbreak screen and to prevent soil erosion.

(from Plants for a Future)