Sassafras

Description: The Sassafras is typically a small, up to 30 feet, tree. The bark on mature trees is thick, dark red-brown, and deeply furrowed. The leaves are somewhat unique. This tree has various shaped leaves, single lobed right or left-hand mitten-shaped and a two thumbed mitten-shaped. No teeth on the leaves. The Mulberry tree has a similar pattern but the leaves have teeth. Otherwise, a stem with a different leaf shape on the same tree is not common. The tree tends to grow in a grove, and the root suckers produce clone trees nearby, like the Paw Paw.

When the leaves are developing in the spring at the end of the stems, they look like the petals of a green flower.

Edible Parts: The bark can be chewed on young stems (meristematic growth?) for a perfumey flavor. The leaves dried and then made into a powder (File') is a creole flavoring/thickening agent. The root is boiled into full flavor teas and can be rendered into oils for MDMA (Ecstasy). Making MDMA is not legal.

Notes: The Sassafras was used as a medicinal flavoring for hundreds of years.

I was first introduced to this tree when I was about 7. My uncle had me chew on a twig...Wow flavor!! This was probably one of the first trees I learned to identify. This reminds me that senses other than sight are important in memorizing plants. This tree also gave me a clue that I would marry my wife! On our first nature walk together I pulled a twig excitedly and had her chew. (She didn't leave me for being a dork!!!!) We are still happily together since 2009:)

I have observed at least two 200-year-old Sassafras trees with 2+ ft. to 6 ft. wide trunks (very uncommon). In the older trees, interestingly, the trees do not have the mitten-shaped leaves like the younger trees, the old trees, only have single lobed leaves (Weird). I’m not sure at what age the leaf change happens.

Sassafras was likely the first plant export from New England to Europe in the 1600s. The Jamestown expedition was to fund its self with Sassafras exports. (CITES NEEDED)

JRH