Mountain lacquer tree is a small East Asian relative of poison ivy that grows wild in Japan, Korea, and China but not in the US. Its sap contains , the same oil that causes poison ivy rash, so touching it can cause a severe rash. Its fuzzy compound leaves turn orange or scarlet in fall.
Appearance
- Growth form
- A slender deciduous tree 20–25 ft (6–8 m) tall in the wild, but in gardens often a sparsely branched shrub 5–8 ft (1.5–2.5 m) high.
- Leaves
- Compound leaves 12–20 in (30–50 cm) long, with 13–17 oval leaflets that are soft and hairy on both sides, on reddish stalks.
- Flowers
- Male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Small yellow-green flowers in hairy clusters appear in late spring.
- Fruit
- Female plants bear flattened, yellowish fruits about 1/4 in (5–6 mm) across, covered in stiff bristles.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Mountain slopes
- Forest edges
- Brushy roadsides
- Range
- Native to Japan (where it is common), the southern Kuril Islands, Korea, and eastern and central China. It has been brought into cultivation in the US from Japan, but it does not grow wild there.
- Preferred conditions
- Prefers sunny, open ground; fall color is best in full sun.
Cautions
- Cautions
- Contains urushiol like other members of its genus; touching the sap or crushed leaves can cause a severe rash.
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