Sassafras, Sassafras albidum, is a tree that is deeply embedded in our culture not only for its beauty but for its long-term medicinal and culinary uses.

Is there any tree more spectacular than sassafras? Its diverse leaves, from unlobed to mittens, transition from deep green to every possible shade of yellow, orange, and red in autumn. I can spend hours in autumn watching sassafras trees.

Sassafras is most often seen as a small tree in forest understories or in young, developing woodlands. I have seen it, though, as a huge tree, 60” diameter and 110 ft tall - as large as an oak or maple.

Sassafras has complex chemistry, which is reflected in its wide range of medicinal and food uses. As often occurs in trees, the stems and roots have very different chemistry and different uses. The roots smell like root beer while the leaves smell like lemons.

Native Americans used sassafras roots and leaves for a wide variety of medicines, and many of these uses were adopted by African Slaves. By the 20th century, sassafras still had two major culinary uses, the roots for root beer and tea, and the leaves for filé powder to thicken gumbo.

Sassafras roots contain a flavor ingredient, safrole, that the US considers a weak carcinogen. While many people still drink sassafras tea, sassafras use is not allowed in root beer. Sassafras leaves do not contain safrole, and are safe.

Please tell us your sassafras stories.

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Photos by the author.