POISON SUMAC  Rose Oaks County Park, Oakland County.  7/27/13  Jonathan Schechter

                                                            

August just began but in the wetlands of Oakland County, Michigan some 

vegetation has jumped ahead to autumn.  Poison sumac (Toxicondendron vernix)
 has abandoned  her dark green colors and transformed to her glossy scarlet-red of

 autumn.There are few plants that create such beautiful contrast of color in our 
wetlands and none that can be more problematic for those that don't stay away.