If you fall into this category and the above sassafras info intrigues you, you may be wondering how to grow sassafras trees. Sassafras trees grow readily from sassafras seeds that have a dormant period in cold temperatures before germination. Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) is an attractive tree, growing 30 to 60 feet tall and 25 to 40 feet wide. How to Make Sassafras Cuttings. Sassafras1 Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson2 INTRODUCTION This lovely, deciduous, native North American tree is pyramidal when young but later develops into a 30 to 60-foot-tall by 25 to 40-foot-wide, rounded canopy composed of many short, horizontal branches which "[27], Before the twentieth century, Sassafras enjoyed a great reputation in the medical literature, but became valued for its power to improve the flavor of other medicines. Beaver Damage To Trees: How To Protect Trees From Beaver Damage, Learn About Beaver Repellent - Beaver Control Information, Gumbo Limbo Info – How To Grow Gumbo Limbo Trees, Planting A Giving Garden: Food Bank Garden Ideas, Giving To Food Deserts – How To Donate To Food Deserts, December To-Do List – What To Do In December Gardens, What Is A Hackberry Tree: Learn About Hackberry Growing, Pine Tree Dying Inside Out: Needles Browning In Center Of Pine Trees, Unhealthy Mandevilla Plants: How To Treat Mandevilla Disease Problems, Naranjilla Plants – Naranjilla Growing Information And Care, Recipes From The Garden: Pressure Cooking Root Vegetables, Gratitude For The Garden – Being Grateful For Each Growing Season, 7 Reasons To Do Your Garden Shopping Locally, Thankful Beyond Words – What Represents Gratefulness In My Garden. Sassafras trees grow from 9–35 m (30–115 ft) tall with many slender sympodial branches, and smooth, orange-brown bark or yellow bark. Sassafras Tree If you wanted sassafras tree information, look no further for you'll get all the facts right here in this article. [16] Sassafras was also used as an early dental anesthetic and disinfectant. Those claims were exaggerated but the tree did prove to have attractive aromatic qualities and the "rootbeer" flavor of the root's tea (now considered a mild carcinogen) was enjoyed by Native Americans. (See the article on filé powder, and a common thickening and flavoring agent in gumbo.) A southern Louisiana specialty, gumbo is a delicious stew with a number of variations but usually seasoned with fine, ground sassafras leaves, at the end of the cooking process. However I was up in central Tennessee several years ago and found quite large sassafras trees growing quite commonly and sharing canopy dominance with the oaks. It grows well in moist, well-drained, or sandy loam soils and tolerates a variety of soil types, attaining a maximum in southern and wetter areas of distribution. Pruning these ornamental beauties is rarely a necessity except initially to develop a strong structure. Taiwanese sassafras, Taiwan, is treated by some botanists in a distinct genus as Yushunia randaiensis (Hayata) Kamikoti, though this is not supported by recent genetic evidence, which shows Sassafras to be monophyletic. Sassafras trees will grow in part shade to part sun and are soil tolerant. Sassafras trees will grow in part shade to part sun and are soil tolerant. Sassafras is a genus of three extant and one extinct species of deciduous trees in the family Lauraceae, native to eastern North America and eastern Asia. It was last measured in 2016. Sassafras albidum, commonly known as the sassafras tree, is a medium-sized tree that is found across the eastern half of the United States.Sassafras trees grow about 60 feet tall and usually have a bushy appearance due to numerous suckers that emerge around the trunk and the twisting growth of … For a more detailed description of uses by indigenous peoples of North America, and a history of the commercial use of Sassafras albidum by Europeans in the United States in the 16th and 17th centuries, see the article on the extant North American species of sassafras, Sassafras albidum. Early toothbrushes were crafted from sassafras twigs or wood because of its aromatic properties. [16][23] Sassafras oil has also been added to soap and other toiletries. [15] In deciduous tropical Lauraceae, leaf loss coincides with the dry season in tropical, subtropical and arid regions. They will grow in clay, loam, sand and acidic soils provided there is adequate drainage. The young leaves and twigs are quite mucilaginous, and produce a citrus-like scent when crushed. Feb 3, 2017 - Looking to add interest to the landscape? The tiny, yellow flowers are generally six-petaled; Sassafras albidum and Sassafras hesperia are dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate trees, while Sassafras tzumu and Sassafras randaiense have male and female flowers occurring on the same trees. Sassafras albidum can be pruned and kept at shrub size by cutting them to the ground every 2-3 years. Different parts of the sassafras plant (including the leaves and stems, the bark, and the roots) have been used to treat, "scurvy, skin sores, kidney problems, toothaches, rheumatism, swelling, menstrual disorders and sexually transmitted diseases, bronchitis, hypertension, and dysentery. Sassafras fruits are eaten by many species of birds, including bobwhite quail, eastern kingbirds, great crested flycatchers, phoebes, wild turkeys, gray catbirds, northern flickers, pileated woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, thrushes, vireos, and northern mockingbirds. [32] Sassafras wood was also used by Native Americans in the southeastern United States as a fire-starter because of the flammability of its natural oils found within the wood and the leaves. Some small mammals also consume sassafras fruits.[19]. Many other trees contain similarly high percentages and their extracted oils are sometimes referred to as sassafras oil,[34] which once was extensively used as a fragrance in perfumes and soaps, food and for aromatherapy. Teas are traditionally made from the roots and file powder from the leaves. These eye- popping colors make it a lovely tree specimen for the landscape, while its canopy habit creates a cool shaded oasis during the hot summer months. Sassafras randaiense Use should be cautious because they have been found to potentially contain carcenogens. What is a sassafras tree and where do sassafras trees grow? In the spring, the deep tap root will begin to develop, so fertilize with a root growth stimulator. Sign up for our newsletter. [6] Three-lobed leaves are more common in Sassafras tzumu and Sassafras randaiense than in their North American counterparts, although three-lobed leaves do sometimes occur on Sassafras albidum. Read this article to learn more about growing this interesting tree. [2][3][4] The genus is distinguished by its aromatic properties, which have made the tree useful to humans. What is a sassafras tree and where do sassafras trees grow? This moderate grower has a surface root system, which does not cause any problems; however, it has a very long and deep tap root that makes transplanting larger specimens a challenge. [18], The leaves, bark, twigs, stems, and fruits are eaten by birds and mammals in small quantities. Sassafras albidum Figure 1. Sassafras Sassafras albidum A captivating, native North American tree known for its brilliant display of autumn foliage and aromatic smell. With heights up to 60 feet, these trees provide shade and elegance. [17] Sassafras randaiense is native to Taiwan. Sassafras albidum is an important ingredient in some distinct foods of the United States. [citation needed], Sassafras is commonly found in open woods, along fences, or in fields. [5] All parts of the plants are fragrant. Primary Sidebar. Growing Sassafras Tree is easy, if space is no problem in your backyard grow this traditional American tree. Sassafras trees are male or female and while both flower, the male being the showier bloomer, only the females bear fruit. They are quite pretty with their unique leaves and lovely fall color. [33], Steam distillation of dried root bark produces an essential oil which has a high safrole content, as well as significant amounts of varying other chemicals such as camphor, eugenol (including 5-methoxyeugenol), asarone, and various sesquiterpenes. Sassafras oil was the original source of the flavor of root beer. The sassafras tree native to the Chicago area, Sassafras albidum, is a deciduous tree that is also dioecious which means that male and female flowers do not grow on the same tree. Consider the sassafras tree. Other sassafras leaf browsers include groundhogs, marsh rabbits, and American black bears. Sassafras is a tree commonly found throughout the eastern United States that grows up to about 60 feet in height. The Sassafras tree is a fragrant, warm weather tree found throughout the American South where it is well-known for its striking fall foliage and shapely height. Grow your fruit trees, berry plants, nut tree, and berry plants at home for savings at the grocery store. If a treelike shape is desired, prune out suckers as they form. [2], The largest known sassafras tree in the world is in Owensboro, Kentucky, and is over 100 feet (30 m) high and 21 feet (6.4 m) in circumference.[7][8]. [11] Sassafras was known as fennel wood (German Fenchelholz) due to its distinctive aroma. The genus Sassafras was first described by the Bohemian botanist Jan Presl in 1825. Provide the tree with adequate irrigation but do not overwater or allow sitting in sodden soils. Best offers for your Garden - https://amzn.to/2InnD0w ----- How to Grow Sassafras Trees. How to grow and care for the sassafras tree. [31] The durable and beautiful wood of sassafras plants has been used in shipbuilding and furniture-making in North America, in Asia, and in Europe (once Europeans were introduced to the plant). It is the main ingredient in traditional root beer and sassafras root tea, and ground leaves of sassafras are a distinctive additive in Louisiana Creole cuisine. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Tiffany Leptuck, "Medical Attributes of 'Sassafras albidum' – Sassafras"], Kenneth M. Klemow, Ph.D., Wilkes-Barre University, 2003. According to the Champion Tree National Register, the largest sassafras in the country is 62 feet tall, has a crown spread of 51 feet, and is found in Daviess County, KY. [21][22], Sassafras leaves and flowers have also been used in salads, and to flavor fats or cure meats. Deciduous sassafras trees lose all of their leaves for part of the year, depending on variations in rainfall. Description. (Picture taken end … Sassafras (includes photo of five-lobed leaf), Southern Research Station (www.srs.fs.fed.us), https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@[email protected]+2653, Wikibooks:Traditional Chinese Medicine/From Sabal Peregrina To Syzygium Samarangense, U of Arkansas: Division of Agriculture Plant of the Week: Sassafras, GardenGuides.com Sassafras – Shrub Plant Guide, Plants for a Future: Plant Portrait – Sassafras albidum, The Jefferson Monticello: The Lucy Meriwether Lewis Marks exhibit – article by Wendy Cortesi, FossilMuseum.net: Rare Sassafras Plant Fossils, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sassafras&oldid=991071496, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from September 2015, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2019, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from May 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 28 November 2020, at 03:01. or their syntheses, such as the insecticide synergistic compound piperonyl butoxide. The species are unusual in having three distinct leaf patterns on the same plant: unlobed oval, bilobed (mitten-shaped), and trilobed (three-pronged); the leaves are hardly ever five-lobed.