Sassafras.  Sassafras albidum.  Abundant in our woods.  Can reach 90 feet, typically 10 - 50 feet.

 

The leaves of Sassafras are quite distinctive.  They are three lobed, two lobed (looking like a mitten) and single lobed.  All three shapes are usually present on a single tree, as you can see in the picture above.  They have a spicy smell when crushed.

 

The Spicebush Swallowtail and Tiger Swallowtail butterflies depend on Sassafras for their larvae.  We've seen Sassafras and Spicebush growing side by side on the Creekside Trail.  I love to spot them in early spring when they bloom, before the leaves emerge.

 

The lumber of Sassafras was used for barrels, buckets, and dugout canoes.   The berries are eaten by songbirds, wild turkey, and black bears.  Deer love to browse on the twigs.  Sassafras was the original flavoring for root beer, and some people enjoy a tea made by boiling the bark of the roots.

 

As with all wild edibles, use caution when first ingesting it, using it sparingly.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!