About Rhus coriaria L.
Rhus coriaria, commonly known as Sicilian sumac, tanner's sumach, or elm-leaved sumach, is a deciduous shrub to small tree belonging to the cashew family Anacardiaceae. It is native to southern Europe and western Asia. Its dried fruits are used as a spice, most notably in the Middle Eastern spice blend za'atar. This species is native to southern Europe and western Asia, including the Eastern Mediterranean, Crimea, Caucasus, and northern Iran, and is now naturalized across most of the Mediterranean Basin as well as Macaronesia. Rhus coriaria is a hardy, drought-tolerant deciduous plant that grows at a medium rate. It typically reaches 3 metres (10 ft) as a shrub, or up to 5 metres (16 ft) as a small tree. It prefers full sun, is frost-sensitive, and can be grown in USDA hardiness zones 8-11 and UK zone 9. It will grow in any deep, well-drained soil, including poor, rocky, alkaline, or slightly acidic soils. The fruit of Rhus coriaria has a sour taste; when dried and crushed, it is a popular spice in the Middle East, used especially in the za'atar spice mixture. Immature fruits and seeds are also eaten. Long before lemons were widely available, ancient Romans in Europe used the sour mature fruits in vinaigrettes the way modern lemons are used today. Rhus coriaria is both used traditionally and has been clinically investigated for lipid lowering effects. Its leaves and bark contain tannic acid, and were traditionally used for leather tanning. Different colored dyes (red, yellow, black, and brown) can be produced from different parts of the plant. Oil extracted from the seeds can be used to make candles.
