sassafras
Sassafras albidum

Sassafras is a widely distributed eastern species known for its aromatic nature and variably shaped leaves. A pioneer on abandoned and neglected lands, sassafras also provides browse material and fruit for wildlife. The wood is used for various purposes and oils are extracted from the root bark for the perfume industry.

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Light Fall Color. Water
Growth   Size
Timber Value

      Sassafras wood is used for cooperage, buckets, posts, rails, furniture, interior finish, cabinets, and fuelwood.
Wildlife Value
      Bark, twigs, and leaves are browsed by various species.
          Attracts: woodchucks, deer, rabbits, bears, beavers, bobwhites, turkeys, kingbirds, woodpeckers, flycatchers, mockingbirds
Regeneration methods
      Sassafras is not commonly regenerated. Due to its shade intolerance and suckering habit, sassafras could be regenerated by clearcut, seed-tree, and large group selection methods.
Fun facts
Sassafras root was one of the earliest new world exports - it was used to perfume soaps and make tea. Native Americans used to use sassafras trees for dugout canoes. Large, extended doses of sassafras are not recommended since it contains a chemical called safrole which in laboratory tests has been found to cause liver damage and cancer and animals. Sassafras extracts which do not contain safrole are still used in some commercial teas and root beer.
Sassafras American Indian name or from Spanish "saxafrax". albidum white (leaf undersides).
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2004 Virginia Tech Forestry Department, all rights reserved. Text, images, and programming by: Dr. Jeff Kirwan, Dr. John R. Seiler, John A. Peterson, Edward C. Jensen, Guy Phillips, or Andrew S. Meeks.

questions, comments, and criticisms: email John.Peterson@vt.edu