Toxicodendron vernicifluum

The Chinese lacquer tree or Japanese sumac is in the cashew or Anacardiaceae family and is cultivated in China, Korea and Japan. It grows up to 20 m tall. It is related to poison ivy and the sap can be highly irritating to the skin.

The lacquer tree has a toxic sap that is harvested to produce urushiol lacquer (Japanese “urushi”) which is a clear, hard finish for lacquerware and other fine finishing in Japan, Korea and China. Primitive lacquer was used in Japan as early as 5000 BC, during the Jōmon period.

• Leaves are alternate, pinnately compound and up to 30 cm long, radiating in clusters from the ends of branches. Leaves have 9–13 opposite leaflets with 4–7 mm pubescent petioles, each leaf being ovate or oblong, up to 13 cm long and 6 cm across. The compound leaves somewhat resemble those of white ash (Fraxinus americana).
• The tree is dioecious. Female flowers are small, pale white, radiating in upright panicles from the ends of branches. Fruit is a round drupe up to 7 mm in diameter, initially green but turning bluish-gray in early August.