Scientific names
Sassafras Albidum

Classification
Superorder: Magnoliidae
Order: Laurales
Family: Lauracea
Subfamily: Lauroideae
Subclass: Dicotyledoneae

Common name
Red Sassafras
White Sassafras

Sassafras uses
Yellow dye is made from the bark.
The sassafras was used to make posts, crates, barrels, and pilings.
Early settlers claimed certain parts of the tree could heal certain illnesses.
Used as a "spring tonic" in pioneer times.
A part of the tree is used for soap making.
Can be made into file' powder. It is also used to thicken gumbo.
The tree is good for attracting birds.
The oil is used for perfume.

Sassafras general facts
Sassafras is the only North American spice.
The name means, "stone breaker".
Sassafras leaf shapes: elliptical, 2 lobed, 3 lobed.
Sassafras wood is soft and yellowish.
To grow, the sassafras needs a lot of light.
The sassafras is very difficult to transplant.
The sassafras's fruit are dark blue berries.
Bark color of the sassafras is greenish gray when young, dark reddish brown when old.

Sassafras life and size
Life period of the sassafras is 30 to 300 years.
The sassafras's height is from 40 to 80 feet tall.
The sassafras has a 2 to 6 feet trunk diameter.
The sassafras's weight is about 33 pounds per cubic foot.
The sassafras's leaf size is 3 to 6 inches long and 2 to 4 inches wide.

Sources
www.bluehen.ags.ude/.edu/gopher-data2/.trees/.descriptions/s_albidum.html

Microsoft Encarta '99

http://quercus.ca.uky.edu/treeweb/species/saa/bi1.htm

Elias, Thomas S. & Dykeman, Peter A. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide 1990