Lemonade Berry

Poisonous

Lemonade berry (Rhus integrifolia) is a common evergreen shrub in the coastal sage scrub and chaparral. The leaves are thick and waxy, one of several strategies that reduce transpiration, allowing it to remain green during our long dry summers. The pale pink flowers are followed by red fruit, the size and shape of corn kernels. Seeds are covered with a pale, somewhat gooey coating that is sour like lemon, giving it the common name.

The Kumeyaay brewed the seeds into a tea. Modern hikers drop a fruit or two into their water bottles for a slight tang. (You should not let campers do this)

Caution

Some people are sensitive to contact with the sap of lemonade berry, breaking out in an itchy rash that is similar to the rash of poison oak. Many sumacs, such as poison oak and poison ivy, contain urushiol which produces severe contact dermatitis. Caution: Some people are allergic to the bark, roots, and leaves.