See the Strange Plants Next to Missouri Roads Just Turned Red?

It's no surprise when you suddenly see the colors change during the Fall months in Missouri. However, there is a bit of a mystery as to what strange plants that aren't quite as common that many have noticed next to Missouri roads that just suddenly turned red.

I just saw this post today on the Missouri sub-Reddit which asked "Anyone know plant these are? My neighbor has a little crop of them". A user named Sullivan80 responded with the following:

"Looks like sumac. Shrub or small tree that often grows in open areas or along roadways. One of the first things to change color in the fall."

If you get closer, the plants look like this.

You have to be careful when you're dealing with sumac as there are variations that are poisonous.

Sumac in Missouri is actually a very helpful plant as Wikipedia mentions it can be used as "a spice, as a dye, and in medicine".

This is one of those signs of Fall that Missouri colors are really about to kick into high gear. It's unfortunate with the drought still affecting much of the state that the colors haven't been more brilliant so far. But, if you see a somewhat unusual plant that is suddenly red next to the Missouri road you're on, now you know.