Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
Identifying Features
Plant Family: Lauraceae
Native Range: Eastern North America and Central United States
Leaf: deciduous, alternate, simple, entire, mitten-shaped or three-lobed, leaf margin smooth
Twig and Bud: twig green or red with spicy smell
Flower, Fruit and Seed: Flowers are dioecious (male and female flowers on separate trees), small, yellow-green and in clusters. Fruits are small dark blue berries on female trees.
Bark: rough with deep furrows and flat ridges
Shape and Mature Height: slightly contorted, twigs turn upward, mature height 30-60 feet
Garden Value and Considerations
Sassafras can tolerate a variety of soil conditions but prefers moist, acidic, loamy soils. Grows in full sun to part shade. Sassafras will take the form of a multi-stemmed shrub if root suckers are allowed to grow. Flowers and fruits are showy. Sassafras has exceptional fall color with leaves turning shades of orange and scarlet.
Notes
Sassafras, like many plants in the laurel family, has a spicy aroma. Sassafras fruits are eaten by a variety of birds and mammals. Sassafras leaves and twigs are browsed by deer. Several caterpillar species use sassafras as a food source. Historically, sassafras was put to many medicinal and culinary uses, including as flavoring for rootbeer. However, one of its compounds is carcinogenic and is no longer used for food products in the United States.
