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Sassafras albidum
| Common name: |
Sassafras |
Family: |
Lauraceae |
| Author: |
(Nutt.)Nees. |
Botanical references: |
11, 43, 200 |
| Synonyms: |
Sassafras sassafras ((L.) Karst.), Sassafras officinale (Nees Eberm.), Laurus albida (Nutt.) |
| Known Hazards: |
The extracted essential oil is poisonous in large quantities[4, 165]. The essential il contains safrole which is known to be carcinogenic and potentially harmful to the liver[274]. The essential oil has been banned as a food flavouring in America, even though the potential toxicity is lower than that of alcohol[222]. |
| Range: |
Eastern N. America - Maine to Ontario, south to Florida and Texas. |
| Habitat: |
Deciduous woodlands and thickets on rich sandy well-drained soils[43, 62, 159, 165]. Found on moist soils[82]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
5 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Laurus albidus[B,P]
Laurus sassafras[B,H,P]
S. albidum var. molle[B,P]
S. varifolium[H]
S. variifolium[G,P]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| Common Sassafras [DEN1], Sasafras [E], Sassafras [FEIS,H,E,B,P], Sassahura [E], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
albidum = whitish
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Laurales. Laurel family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Turkey
Us Us(Appalachia)
|
Physical Characteristics
A decidious tree growing to 25m by 15m . It is hardy to zone 5 and is frost tender. It is in leaf from April to October, in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The scented flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required).
The plant not is self-fertile.
We rate it 5/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil.
The plant prefers acid and neutral soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.
It requires moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Woodland, Canopy, Secondary, Sunny Edge, Dappled Shade.Edible Uses
Condiment
Leaves Tea.
Leaves - raw or cooked. The young leaves can be added to salads whilst
both old and young leaves can be used as a flavouring and as a thickening
agent in soups etc[2, 20, 55, 62, 82, 102, 183]. They have a mild aromatic
flavour[K]. The leaves are often dried and ground into powder for later
use[82, 159, 183]. The young shoots have been used to make a kind of beer[4].
The dried root bark can be boiled with sugar and water until it forms a
thick paste[183]. It is then used as a condiment[183]. The root and the
berries can also be used as flavourings[55, 142].
Winter buds and young leaves - raw[62, 183].
A tea is made from the root bark, it is considered to be a tonic[18, 20, 55,
62]. The tea can also be made by brewing the root in maple syrup, this can be
concentrated into a jelly[183]. A tea can also be made from the leaves and
the roots. It is best in spring.
A tea can be made from the flowers[2].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Alterative
Anodyne Antiseptic Aromatic Carminative Diaphoretic Diuretic Stimulant Vasodilator.
Sassafras has a long history of herbal use. It was widely employed by
many native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a wide range of
complaints, valuing it especially for its tonic effect upon the body[257]. It
is still commonly used in herbalism and as a domestic remedy.
The root bark and root pith are alterative, anodyne, antiseptic, aromatic,
carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, stimulant and vasodilator[4, 21, 46,
165]. A tea made from the root bark is particularly renowned as a spring
tonic and blood purifier as well as a household cure for a wide range of
ailments such as gastrointestinal complaints, colds, kidney ailments,
rheumatism and skin eruptions[222, 238, 257].
The mucilaginous pith from the twigs has been used as a poultice or wash for
eye ailments and is also taken internally as a tea for chest, liver and
kidney complaints[222].
An essential oil from the root bark is used as an antiseptic in dentistry
and also as an anodyne[213]. The oil contains safrole, which is said to have
carcinogenic activity and has been banned from use in American foods - though
it is less likely to cause cancer than alcohol[222]. In large doses the oil
is poisonous, causing dilated pupils, vomiting, stupor, collapse and kidney
and liver damage[4, 238]. The oil has been applied externally to control lice
and treat insect bites, though it can cause skin irritation[238]. We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.
Other Uses
Dye
Essential Repellent Wood.
An essential oil is obtained from the bark of the root[61] and also
from the fruits[4]. One hundred kilos of root chips yield one litre of
essential oil under steam pressure - this oil comprises about 90%
safrol[245]. The oil is medicinal and is also used in soaps, the coarser
kinds of perfumery, toothpastes, soft drinks etc[4, 46, 57, 82]. It is also
used as an antiseptic in dentistry[61].
A yellow dye is obtained from the wood and the bark[4, 168]. It is brown to
orange[168].
The plant repels mosquitoes and other insects[18, 20].
Wood - coarse-grained, soft, weak, fragrant, brittle, very durable in the
soil. It weighs 31lb per cubic foot and is used for fence posts and items
requiring lightness[46, 82, 171, 227].
Cultivation details
Requires a deep, fertile, well-drained, lime-free, near neutral soil in
sun or light shade[11, 200]. Does well in a woodland garden[166], especially
in a sheltered position along the edge[200].
The plant is tender when young, the young shoots of older trees can also be
damaged by late spring frosts[11, 238].
A very ornamental plant[1] with a wide range of uses, it is occasionally
cultivated and often gathered from the wild[61]. All parts of the tree
contain essential oils and give off a pleasant spicy aroma when crushed[229].
The stem bark is highly aromatic, more so than the wood. The root stem bark
is the most pleasant of all[245]. The flowers have a spicy perfume[245].
Trees are long-lived, moderately fast-growing and disease-free in the
wild[227, 229]. They can begin flowering when only 10 years old and good seed
crops are usually produced every 2 - 3 years[229]. The trees spread by root
suckers and can form thickets[229].
Although some flowers appear to be hermaphrodite, they are functionally
either male or female and most trees are dioecious[229]. Both male and female
plants must be grown if seed is required.
Propagation
Seed - best sown as soon as ripe in a cold frame[200]. Stored seed
requires 4 months cold stratification at 4° c[113]. It is best sown as early
in the year as possible. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon
as possible and grow them on in the greenhouse. One report says to harden off
the plants as soon as possible[78], but young plants are frost-tender[11] and
so we recommend growing them on in the greenhouse for their first winter and
then planting them out in early summer. Give the young trees some protection
for at least their first winter outdoors[K].
Root cuttings, taken from suckers, 1 - 2cm long taken in December. Plant
horizontally in pots in a greenhouse[78].
Suckers in late winter. Plant straight out into their permanent
positions[200].
Scent
-
Fruit: Crushed Dried
- The fruit is aromatic[245].
-
Flowers: Fresh
- The flowers have a spicy perfume[245].
-
Stem: Crushed Dried
- The stem bark is highly aromatic, more so than the wood. The root stem bark is the most pleasant of all[245].
-
Leaves: Crushed
- All parts of the tree contain essential oils and give off a pleasant spicy aroma when crushed.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
PFAF Web Pages
This plant is mentioned in the following web pages
Web References
- Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [V] Images
from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A& M Bioinformatics Working Group.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
- [DEN] Data _ Photos
(Good Identification info) from the Virginia Tech's Dendrology Deptarments' Tree Fact Sheets.
- [FEIS] Data
(Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.
- [FEIS] Data
(Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.
References for Sassafras officinale (a possible synonym).
References for the family Lauraceae.
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.
[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.
[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[43] Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950
A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[55] Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973
Interesting reading.
[57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[62] Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982 ISBN 0442222009
Very readable.
[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
[82] Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965 ISBN 0-486-20278-X
Two volumes, a comprehensive listing of N. American trees though a bit out of date now. Good details on habitats, some details on plant uses. Not really for the casual reader.
[102] Kavasch. B. Native Harvests. Vintage Books 1979 ISBN 0-394-72811-4
Another guide to the wild foods of America.
[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
[142] Brouk. B. Plants Consumed by Man. Academic Press 1975 ISBN 0-12-136450-x
Readable but not very comprehensive.
[159] McPherson. A. and S. Wild Food Plants of Indiana. Indiana University Press 1977 ISBN 0-253-28925-4
A nice pocket guide to this region of America.
[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.
[166] Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990
A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
[168] Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants. MacMillan Publishing Co. New York. 1974 ISBN 0-02-544950-8
A very good and readable book on dyeing.
[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.
[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
[222] Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990 ISBN 0395467225
A concise book dealing with almost 500 species. A line drawing of each plant is included plus colour photographs of about 100 species. Very good as a field guide, it only gives brief details about the plants medicinal properties.
[227] Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982 ISBN 0292780206
A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.
[229] Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980 ISBN 0442238622
A very good concise guide. Gives habitats, good descriptions, maps showing distribution and a few of the uses. It also includes the many shrubs that occasionally reach tree proportions.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
Readers Comments
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