Sassafras

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. The genus is distinguished by its aromatic properties, which have made the tree useful to humans.

Description

Sassafras trees grow from 9.1–18 m (30–59 ft) tall with many slender sympodial branches, and smooth, orange-brown bark or yellow bark. All parts of the plants are fragrant. 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. They have smooth margins and are up to 13 cm long by 7 cm wide. The young leaves and twigs are quite mucilaginous, and produce a citrus-like scent when crushed.

Uses

The wood of sassafras trees has been used in the construction of ships and furniture, and the oil, extracted from the root bark, has been used as a scent in perfumes and soaps. The roots of the sassafras tree were also used by Native Americans for culinary purposes.

Cultivation

Sassafras trees are not commonly grown for ornament. However, they are hardy and can be grown in a variety of soil types. They prefer a sunny, well-drained site.

Species

The three extant species of sassafras are Sassafras albidum, native to eastern North America, Sassafras tzumu, native to China, and Sassafras randaiense, native to Taiwan. The extinct species, Sassafras hesperia, is known from fossil evidence.

See also

• Lauraceae
• Sassafras albidum
• Sassafras tzumu
• Sassafras randaiense

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