Rhus or Sumac is a member of the Anacardiaceae family. Its deciduous foliage turns a beautiful shade of orange-red in autumn. It bears distinctive velvety pink-tinted, deep red flowers, held in terminal panicles, from September to March, adding winter interest to the garden. Its sap is poisonous. It can be grown in ordinary soil, as a specimen, or in groups, or in association in informal hedges.