Window Trail Stop #10

Can you see the colorful bug hiding in the leaves?

NPS/C. Negele

Quick Facts

Location:

Big Bend National Park

A common shrub that grows throughout the Chisos Mountains is the Evergreen Sumac. It is a large shrub with shiny, stiff leaves and tiny, white flowers that bloom in the spring and fall. The evergreen sumac produces a small, fuzzy, red fruit, that when soaked in water, makes a tart, yet refreshing, drink. Sumacs are in the same family as poison ivy and may cause a reaction to those that are extremely sensitive to poison ivy. Evergreen sumacs retain their leaves year-round and are commonly found in shaded canyons.