Woody > Sassafras > Sassafras albidum > Sassafras albidum
Sassafras albidum
Sassafras Tree
Mike's
Opinion
"
A Carolinian tree with an unusual history, for from its roots we have produced Sassasfras which has been used in all manner of foodstuffs from candy to beer. A very confusing tree to identify because of the variety of leaf shapes and more a collectors tree for the larger landscape or park setting.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Lauraceae |
| Genus |
| Sassafras |
| Species |
| albidum |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 4 - 9 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 2a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 - H3 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-32) - (-1) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-25) - 30 |
| Height |
| 20 m |
| Spread |
| 8 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Forms a thicket of saplings around the parent plant. It eventually forms a flat-topped tree with an irregular head and can reach a height about 20 m. |
| Cultivation |
| Often found as a thicket, pruning is required to produce a single stem specimen. Prefers freely draining, loamy solis that have a higher pH. Difficult to transplant because of its extensive tap root |
| Shape |
| Grows initially as a small shrub but soon turns into a thicket of saplings around the parent plant. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| It is easily recognized by its mitten-shaped leafs and its intense egg-yellow autumn colour. In older specimens the bark is a red-brown colour and has deep ridges. |
| Pests |
| Sassafras is susceptible to European gypsy moths, Japanese horned beetle and sassafras weevil. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Sassafras has a distinctive bark that is a red-brown in colour. Older specimens have deeply rigged bark which produces an orange dye. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| The terminal bud is solitary and ovoid with about 4–6 scales and is about 85 mm long. The lateral buds are small and green. |
| Leaf Description |
| The leaf colour is medium-green and leaves and are mitten-shaped. Leaves can range from 7–18 cm long and 5–10 cm wide with two-lobed or elliptical with no lobes. In the autumn they change to shades of yellow, orange or red. |
| Flower Description |
| The plant has small yellow-green flowers about 2.5 cm long and 1 cm wide. The flower appears before the leaf emerges. |
| Fruit Description |
| The Sassafras fruit ripens in September and are dark blue berries that found on bright red stalks, which are about 1.27 cm long. |
| Colour Description |
| During the summer months the leaves are medium green, during autumn months the leaves change to orange, yellow, red and purple. |
| Texture Description |
| Leaves are smooth with rounded edges, while the bark is rough in texture. |
| Notable Specimens |
| The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Joansy's Wood, North Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. |
| Propagation |
| Seed require 4 months moist stratification at 5°C. Cuttings collected in early winter and placed under mist produce sporadic rooting. Dirr suggests a medium of 2:1:1 peat/loam/sand. It may also be propagated by root cuttings. |
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