This small tree is rare in Ohio, occurring in Geauga, Cuyahoga, Wayne, Wyandot, Licking, Fairfield, and a few other counties. Swamps, low grounds, and moist slopes are its favorite home. This tree is one of our most poisonous plants. Some people are immune from its attack, while others are highly susceptible. A rash is the most common symptom for this plant, as it is for poison ivy, which is closely related.
Foliage is dark green and shiny above but paler on lower surface.
The flowers appear in June or July. They are small, yellowish-green, and arranged in drooping panicles. The fruit is a small, round, glossy, ivory-white drupe and arranged in loose, drooping clusters that mature in September. The twigs are stout, orange-brown, smooth, and glossy. The wood is soft, brittle, coarse-grained, and light yellow.