Don't you just love sumac? If not, then there's definitely something wrong with your taste buds. Whether it's sprinkled on fattoush or mixed in to make the most delicious Zaatar out there, it just makes everything taste all the better. But did you know these 12 facts about the spice?

1.Sumac belongs to the cashew family

2. Some sumac species contain toxins, causing severe allergic reactions in some people

3. There are 35 species of sumac found in regions all around the world, ranging from the subtropical to temperate regions

4. Herbivores don't like to eat sumac because of the hairs present on the branches and bark

But...

5. More than 30 species of birds feed on the sumac fruit, facilitating the dispersal of the seed

6. Native Americans used to prepare a beverage known as Indian lemonade, or sumac-ade, with the sumac fruit

Get the recipe here .

7. Sumac leaves are a great source of black ink

8. Native Americans smoked cigarettes made with the dried leaves and sumac fruit

9. The pigment obtained from the wood of sumac is useful for the coloring of items in the textile, toy and paper industry

10. The plant can survive 30 to 50 years in the wild

11. Moroccan leather is made with sumac tannins

12. Sumac was once used as a treatment for half a dozen different ailments in medieval medicine