NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Sassafras albidum

Sassafras, White Sassafras, Ague Tree, Sassy Tree

Scientific Name:	Sassafras albidum
Genus:	Sassafras
Species Epithet:	albidum
Common Name:	Sassafras, White Sassafras, Ague Tree, Sassy Tree
Plant Type	Tree/Shrub
Life Cycle	Perennial
Plant Family	Lauraceae (Laurel Family)
Native/Alien:	NC Native
Size:	12-36 ft.
Bloom Color(s):	Yellow, Green, Brown
Light:	Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day, Less than 2 hours of sun per day
Soil Moisture:	Moist
Bloom Time:	March, April, May, June, July
Growing Area:	Mountains, Piedmont, Sandhills, Coastal Plain
Habitat Description:	A wide variety of forests, old fields, disturbed areas, fencerows. Common throughout NC.
Leaf Arrangement:	Alternate
Leaf Retention:	Deciduous
Leaf Type:	Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like
Leaf Form:	Simple
Life Cycle:	Perennial
Wildlife Value:	Important for Wildlife
Landscape Value:	Highly Recommended and Available
Notes:	Sassafras, White Sassafras, Ague Tree, Cinnamon Wood, Mitten Tree, Saloop, Smelling Stick Spicebush butterfly, Tiger swallow-tail, Palamedes butterflies, Pale Swallowtail
Leaves Sassafras is easily recognized by having variously lobed leaves on one tree. The twigs have a spicy smell. Dried, they were traditionally used to thicken gumbo. The roots were made into tea and the oil was used as a flavoring and to scent soap.
Flowers Mary Vigueras, April 2012
Emerging leaves Mary Vigueras
Bark
Female trees produce small dark blue, fleshy drupes borne in a scarlet cup attached to a scarlet stalk Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
Leaves turn a beautiful array of colors in the Fall Orange County, NC Bettina Darveaux
Links:	USDA PLANTS Database Record Flora of North America