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| Leaf Photo by: Steven J. Baskauf |
Bark Photo by: Brian Lockhart |
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| Fruit Photo by: Vern Wilkins |
Tree Photo by: Dow Gardens Archive |
The roots of sassafras were one of the original ingredients in root beer.
Sassafras is a rare tree in Ontario, occurring in scattered pockets in southwestern Ontario and only as far north as Toronto. It often forms colonies where it exists.
Its leaves easily identify sassafras, once you’ve seen the “mittens”. There may be four variations on one branch, a simple oval leaf, a left and right-handed mitten with a thumb-like lobe and the last with 3 lobes. All parts of the plants have a spicy odor when bruised. The flowers are small and yellow, and the fruit is dark blue on a red stalk, but much-loved by birds. Bark is orange-brown with deep furrows when mature.
Fall colour can be a mix of yellow, orange or red. The winter form of sassafras is tiered and irregular in outline, and is found mixed with other Carolinian species.
Size: Up to 20 m
Moisture: Moist to dry
Shade: Can grow in full shade or full sun
Soil: Adaptable
Planting Tip: What may appear to be seedlings near mature sassafras trees may be root suckers. If dug up, they have little chance of survival without their own root system. It is best to transplant container-grown seedlings when young. More tips...
