Sassafras Sassafras albidum
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Laurus albidus
- Laurus sassafras
- Sassafras albidum var. molle
- Sassafras officinale
- Sassafras sassafras
- Sassafras variifolium
- Phonetic Spelling
- SAS-ah-fras AL-bih-dum
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Sassafras is a deciduous tree that is native to eastern and central USA and is found in all areas of NC except the higher mountains. It can be found in woodlands, fields, and along roadsides and has adapted to various acidic soils. All parts of the tree are aromatic. In early to mid-spring, small, bright yellow-green flower clusters are borne in 2-inch stalks on separate male and female trees. Female trees produce a blue, fleshy drupe that is borne in a red cup attached to a red stalk. In the fall, the leaves turn a beautiful yellow to orange to red in color.
A large taproot makes the transplanting of established trees difficult. It tends to want to sucker repeatedly and will spread to form thickets. If a single trunk tree is desired, these suckers will need to be removed. This tree prefers well-drained sandy, acidic soils but will adapt to other soils if well-drained. It will grow in sun to partial shade and is drought tolerant once established.
Use this tree as a shade tree, street tree, or specimen. Allow it to spread by suckers for screening.
Sassafras can be pruned and kept at shrub size by cutting them to the ground every 2-3 years.
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: The leaves may turn yellow while veins remain green (chlorosis) in alkaline soils. The trees can develop a variety of insect and disease problems that are generally not serious. It is susceptible to laurel wilt. It may experience root rot if grown in wet, clay soils.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Woodland Backyard Garden Walk
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Sassafras
- Species:
- albidum
- Family:
- Lauraceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Many Native American peoples have historically used the oils in tonics for medical purposes. Leaves and oils have been used in food products, soaps, and fragrances. The wood is used to make furniture and boats.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- North Carolina, USA
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Fruits are eaten by eastern bluebirds, red-eyed vireos, quail, wild turkeys, kingbirds, crested flycatchers, mockingbirds, sapsuckers, pileated woodpeckers, yellowthroat warblers and phoebes, black bears, beaver, rabbits, squirrels, some eat bark and wood, white-tailed deer browse twigs and foliage. This plant supports Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) larvae which have one brood per season and appear from April-October in the south. Adult Imperial Moths do not feed. This plant also supports Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus) larvae which have 2 generations per year from April-October. Adult Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies feed on nectar from Japanese honeysuckle, jewelweed, thistles, milkweed, azalea, dogbane, lantana, mimosa, and sweet pepperbush.
- Play Value:
- Fragrance
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heat, drought, and soil compaction tolerant.
- Edibility:
- Teas and drinks are made from the roots. The leaves are dried and ground to make filé powder, a common ingredient in gumbo.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 25 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Irregular
- Multi-stemmed
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Blue
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Female trees produce pendant clusters of .4 inch long-inch bluish-black drupes borne in red cup-like receptacles on 1 inch long red stalks. Fruit displays from June to July.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Star
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Colored Sepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Male and female flowers appear on separate trees. The flowers (1/3 inch across) are borne on 2-inch terminal clusters before the leaves. They have no petals but have six greenish-yellow sepals. Female trees bloom more profusely than male trees. They bloom from March to April.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The medium green leaves are 4 to 6 inches long and 2 to 4 inches wide and will often have 3 shapes on the tree- oval without lobes, mitten-shaped and three-lobed. The arrangement is alternate and margins are entire to lobed. Fall color is quite showy with reds, oranges and yellows.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Furrowed
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- The bark is attractive red-brown, deeply furrowed with corky ridges. Aromatic.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- Yes
- Stem Bud Terminal:
- Only 1 terminal bud, larger than side buds
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Description:
- Twigs are smooth, round and greenish-yellow or greenish-brown with gray lenticels. Buds are 1/4 inch long and green. Aromatic when broken.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Edible Garden
- Garden for the Blind
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Understory Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Deer
- Drought
- Heat
- Problems:
- Messy
- Poisonous to Humans