86 



Common Trees 



SASSAFRAS 



Sassafras vaciifolium, (Salisbury) Kuntze 



THE SASSAFRAS, also called Sassafrac and Saxifrax, is a 

 distinctive tree. It is recorded that Sassafras bark and 

 roots were among the first cargo shipped from the American 

 colonies. The bark and roots are still used locally in the 

 manufacture of Sassafras Tea. 



The leaves are sim- 

 p 1 e , alternate, e g g - 

 shaped, 4 to 6 inches 

 long, usually smooth 

 along margin. Some- 

 times 2 to 5-lobed leaves 

 are found on same twig 

 with the normal leaves. 



The flowers appear 

 with the leaves and are 

 of two kinds. They are 

 greenish-yellow, and ar- 

 ranged in loose, short- 

 stalked clusters. 



The fruit is a dark- 

 blue, shiny berry borne 

 on a stout red stem. It 

 is excellent bird food. 



The bark becomes 

 rough early. On old 

 trunks is reddish- 

 brown, deeply fur- 

 rowed, separates in thin 

 scales. The twigs are 

 rather brittle, yellowish- 

 green, aromatic, some- 

 times hairy. The inner bark is very mucilaginous. The buds 

 are about three-fifths of an inch long, slightly hairy, green- 

 ish, covered with a few bud-scales. 



The wood is soft, brittle, durable, aromatic, dull orange- 

 brown, with light sapwood. It is used for posts, rails, fur- 

 niture, interior finishing, crates, coffins. 



The Sassafrass is found from Massachusetts to Florida 

 and west to Michigan and Texas. In New York this tree 

 is common locally across the State except in the Adirondacks 

 and higher Catskills. It is abundant on sandy plains be- 

 tween Albany and Schenectady, and on Long Island and 

 Staten Island. It rarely exceeds 70 feet in height and 3 feet 

 in diameter. 



SASSAFRAS 



One-fourth natural sire. 



Single flowers and bud, enlarged. 



