Sassafras

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; autumn colour is usually strongest in sun.

Water

Moderate; water young trees during dry spells. Established trees tolerate some drought in well-drained soil.

Soil

Moist but well-drained, acidic sandy loam is ideal. Avoid waterlogged ground and strongly alkaline soil.

Height

30-60 ft (9-18 m)

Spread

25-40 ft (7.6-12 m), with root suckers potentially extending farther

Flowers

Small yellow-green flowers in early to mid-spring, before or as the leaves open.

Foliage

Aromatic green leaves occur in three shapes on the same tree: unlobed, mitten-shaped and three-lobed. Autumn foliage turns yellow, orange, scarlet or purple.

Growth

Moderate to fast when young in suitable soil

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   9 ft (2.7 m)

3. After 2 years

   11 ft (3.4 m)

4. After 3 years

   14 ft (4.2 m)

5. After 5 years

   18 ft (5.6 m)

About 16 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Native to

the US and Canada

In the garden

Spreads vigorously: plan to contain it.

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant a small, container-grown tree in its permanent position; established trees are difficult to transplant because of their deep roots.
• Water deeply during dry spells for the first two growing seasons, allowing the soil surface to dry between waterings.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it away from the trunk.
• Avoid routine fertilising; feed only if a soil test identifies a deficiency.
• Cut unwanted root suckers at ground level while young, and avoid digging or repeatedly disturbing the roots.

Pruning. Prune in late winter while dormant, removing dead, damaged or crossing branches and selecting a main leader if you want a single-trunk tree. Keep cuts small; heavy pruning and root injury can encourage suckering.

Late winter

Remove damaged or crossing branches and lightly shape young trees.

Spring

Plant container-grown trees once the soil is workable, then water thoroughly.

Late spring

Renew mulch without piling it against the trunk.

Summer

Water young trees during dry weather and cut unwanted suckers.

Autumn

Leave fallen leaves beneath the canopy as mulch where practical, keeping paths clear.

• Use as a specimen in a generous lawn or open border where its branching and autumn colour can be seen.
• Allow a suckering grove at a woodland edge for a loose, naturalistic effect.
• Combine with serviceberry, flowering dogwood and ferns for a layered deciduous woodland planting.
• Include in an eastern North American native wildlife garden for host foliage and bird food.

Garden styles it suits: Woodland, Wildlife garden, Autumn colour, Rewilded, Traditional and Sensory garden.

Plant it with: Serviceberry, Flowering dogwood, Eastern redbud, Witch hazel, Christmas fern and Wild ginger.

Wildlife: In its native range, the leaves feed spicebush swallowtail and other caterpillars. Birds eat the dark blue fruits, which are produced on female trees when a male tree is nearby for pollination; flowers also attract small insects.

• Unwanted root suckers: remove shoots promptly and give the tree a wide planting area; root disturbance can stimulate more shoots.
• Yellow leaves on alkaline soil: test soil pH and nutrient levels; a naturally acidic site is a better long-term solution than repeated treatments.
• Root decline in wet soil: improve drainage before planting and avoid low spots where water stands.
• Laurel wilt, especially in the southeastern United States: sudden wilting and brown foliage need prompt professional diagnosis. There is no reliable homeowner cure; follow local advice on removal and do not transport affected wood.

Roots and bark contain safrole, especially concentrated in sassafras essential oil. Swallowing the oil can cause serious poisoning, and safrole has caused cancer in laboratory animals; do not make root or bark teas or use the oil internally. Toxicity from ordinary garden exposure to leaves is not well established for cats, dogs or horses, so prevent chewing and keep all sassafras preparations away from animals and children.

Where it spreads. Spreads by root suckers and can form persistent colonies in its native eastern North American range, particularly in open ground and along woodland edges. This local spread is not the same as being a listed invasive alien species.

• Red mulberry (Morus rubra)

  It can also have lobed and unlobed leaves, but mulberry leaves have toothed margins and often rough upper surfaces; sassafras leaves have smooth margins and an aromatic scent when crushed.

• Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

  Another aromatic native with yellow spring flowers, but it is usually a shrub with consistently unlobed leaves and red rather than dark blue fruit.

The species name albidum means 'whitish', referring to the pale undersides of the leaves.

Propagation. Sow fresh, cleaned seed outdoors in autumn for natural cold stratification, protecting it from rodents. Root cuttings taken during dormancy are another option; moving established suckers is often unsuccessful because they may have few independent roots.

Accepted botanical name

Sassafras albidum

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and Kentucky.

Measured

Soil pH 4.5 to 7.3. Average height 770 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.