Sassafras Tree

Facts about Sassafras Tree, "Scientific name for Sassafras Tree is Sassafras albidum". Sassafras is a type of the three existing and one destroyed variety of trees that belongs to the Lauraceae family. This deciduous tree variety is the native to the eastern part of North America and Asia. The Tree are evergreen shrubs or trees that are tailored to high precipitation and dampness. The Sassafras tree is largely found along fences, in open woods, or in fields. The Sassafras Tree grows well in wet, sandy loam or well-drained soils and bears a diversity of soil types, attaining the greatest in the southern regions and wetter regions of distribution. The Sassafras Trees are more frequently found as an understory plant beneath the bigger trees, such as Eastern White Pine, Virginia Pine, Yellow Poplar, Sweetgum, or oaks. . All parts of the Sassafras tree are extremely perfumed.

Features of Sassafras Tree

A fully grown Sassafras tree is capable of attaining a height, ranging from 30 feet to 59 feet (9.14 to 17.98 meters), with widespread branches that spread between 25 feet and 39 feet (7.62 to 11.88 meters). The diameter of the trunk of the Sassafras Tree ranges from 28 inches to 59 inches (71.1 to 150 cm), with several slim branches, and soft, orange-brown colored bark. The branching of the Sassafras Tree is sympodial. The bark of the full-grown trunk is broad, red-tan in color, and profoundly furrowed.

The Sassafras tree is strange in having three different leaf models on the same tree, such as unlobed oval, mitten-shaped, and three-pronged leaves. These leaves have smooth borders and they grow with the length, ranging from 2 3/4 to 7 7/8 inches (7 cm to 20 cm), with the breadth, ranging between 2 to 4 inches (5 cm and 10 cm). The young branches and leaves of the Sassafras Tree are fairly mucilaginous, and create a citrus-like aroma when compressed.

The Sassafras tree produces flowers in the spring, and they are smaller in size and yellow in color. These five-petal flowers are dioecious, with female and male flowers on separate trees.

The egg-shaped fruits of the Sassafras Tree are blue-black in color, with the length of 1 cm, produced on elongated, red colored stalk cups, and grow-up in late summer.

Uses of Sassafras Tree

The dried root bark of the Sassafras tree is used to produce an essential oil that is widely used as a fragrance in soaps and perfumes, for aromatherapy and food. The extract of the Sassafras Tree is used as a major ingredient in root beer.

The lifespan of the Sassafras tree ranges from 100 years to 500 year