Rhus aromatica, known as fragrant sumac, is a deciduous shrub in the cashew family Anacardiaceae. The species name aromatica references its aromatic foliage and resin, while the genus name Rhus derives from ancient Greek ῥοῦς (rhous), referring to sumac trees that produced reddish dyes. Its small red drupes, lemon-scented leaves, and resinous stems have been used by Indigenous peoples and later settlers as a seasoning, beverage ingredient, and medicinal plant. It is native to North America, especially the eastern and central United States, extending into southern Canada and northern Mexico, where it grows in dry slopes, oak woodlands, prairie edges, and open rocky ground.

Historically, numerous Indigenous groups—including the Cherokee, Ojibwe, Meskwaki, and Cheyenne—used the tart red berries to make a cooling, lemonade-like drink, produced by soaking the drupes in cold water until the malic-acid–rich coating dispersed. The berries were also used as a sour flavoring in stews, pemmican, and corn dishes, and were sometimes dried and ground into a spice blend similar in role to the modern Levantine use of Old World sumacs. Today, the berries are still used in foraged spice mixes, herbal teas, and culinary syrups, while the young shoots are occasionally used for seasonal beverages. Although not as widely commercialized as Old World sumac (Rhus coriaria), fragrant sumac remains a valued ingredient in North American wild-food traditions. The shrub is an important forage plant for wildlife, providing late-summer berries for birds and small mammals. It was historically used as a dye plant, yielding yellow to tan shades. Its drought tolerance and ability to stabilize soil make it a common species in restoration ecology, especially in degraded prairie and savanna landscapes.