Sassafras - Which Types Are in the US

[submarinesailor]

I have been told that there are 2 types of Sassafras in the USA, white and red.  Can any of you gentlemen confirm this and let me know which one(s) are found in the mountains of Virginia.  Years ago my BIL told me I had some of the largest he had ever seen east of the Mississippi.   Before the wind knocked them down, they were about 32” DBW.  But, when we sliced them up, most of the bottom was rotten.  I have several more that a pretty faired sized and I was wondering if I should put them on the ground before they develop heart rot like the others.

Also have you ever heard it called chocolate chestnut?  I heard an old timer call it by that name one time.

Bruce

[Riles]

I'm only aware of one, Sassafras albidum, which would be the white one. The Appalachians are preferred range, so I'd put money on that being what you have. Wikipedia reports 4 species in the eastern US, with red being one of the four, but I haven't been able find anything in my references. 32 inches dbh would be a big one, the biggest I've seen is about 18 inches. I wouldn't take it down unless it's a threat to people or structures, or you have a use for the wood (or it doesn't fit into your management plan).

[WDH]

Never knew there was more than one native species of sassafras.

[Tom]

I didn't either.  Upon doing a little reading, I've found, what might be, an answer.  Sassafras albidum is the Sassafras we have in America.  Three others are found in China, but not here.

White Sassafras and Red Sassafras are only listed as "common names" but for a reference that says that some botanist call Red Sassafras, albidum molle because of some fine hairs found on the leaves and stems.  This sounds like a questionable excuse to name a sub species to me.  I tend to go with there only being one Sassafras.

Not that I can't be taught, you understand.

[SwampDonkey]

I think maybe someone has confused it with mulberry because of the leaf shapes. Only one sassafras species here.

[thedeeredude]

I like sassafras.  I got a board from Ron's mill that was 14" wide and 10' long with one small knot   Hehe

[Lanier_Lurker]

A 14" by 10' slab from a sassafras would be a rare thing I think.

The biggest adult trees I have seen are barely 10" in diameter.  And by the time you take off the bark, an 8" board is all you could hope to get.

And on top of that, to have a section that is straight enough to get a 10' board is also rare (I would think) given the form and general growth habits of sassafras.

Treat that thing like a piece of gold, man! 

[WDH]

It is beautiful wood.  Radar67 showed me some he has.  He made a fine pen out of sassafras.

[Radar67]

Here is a post made from sassafras. It was on the lathe mizer at the Perkinston show. That is where my stick came from.

[WDH]

See.........I said it was beautiful .  Of course, y'all already knew that .

[SwampDonkey]

Nice stick. 

[Cedarman]

We are splitting sassafras rails.  Got 8500 to make out of 6 to 9 inch logs x 10'. 
We get some bigger sassafras in that are nice butt logs and will make some fine lumber.  What does FAS sassafras  sell for?  We'll have a thousand or more feet.

[beenthere]

cedarman
How do you split those rails?  ...after sawing FAS lumber off the sides? Or two different processes..small logs to the splitter, large logs to the saw?
Pics of splitting rails would be great...

[SwampDonkey]

sassafras must be straight grained , eh?

I've split hard maple and yellow birch posts in two with an axe and maul. It was frozen wood and fresh cut. It split very straight on the pieces I selected. It wasn't done for production, but it split nice. Made handles and canoe paddles. Ain't done it in years now. I used to widdle everything out with an axe. Dad never wanted me toting a chainsaw off into the bush alone back then, so he figured an axe and a cross cut would diminish the enthusiasm. 

[Cedarman]

I use a long I beam with a 4 way that can be changed to a 6 way for bigger logs.  I use a 2' stroke cylinder that can slide down the I beam.  The I beam has holes every 1'10 inches for a bolt to be put in as a backstop for the hydraulic cylinder.

Yup, small logs rails, 11" and up lumber.

Prices?

[woodbeard]

In the sassafrass I have sawed, I have found two different qualities of lumber. One is lighter colored, kinda stringy and pulpy, and the other is more dense and colorful, I'd be willing to bet that that is what folks are talking about when they talk about red and white sassafrass, even though it all comes from the same species of tree. It probably has a lot to do with soil conditions, but I'm not sure in what way.

[SPIKER]

Ive got a few good sized ones on the place.  like this one


anyhow this spring a guy I worked with pulled a bunch of the small ones and made tea and gave me a baggy full of the root bark/skin which smelled SOOOO good, but we found all kinds of conflicting info about it being bad for ya basically a carsinigen of some type??  anyhow I never made any tea with mine but wanted to it just smelled so good it became the womans potpourri

mark

[WDH]

Spiker,

That is one fine Sassafras .

[Ron Wenrich]

FAS sassafras sells for red oak prices, according to pricing books.  You might be able to get more, especially if it has good widths.

I had a timber sale where I had about 10 Mbf and my average diameter was over 18". I had one old resident that was 36".  There were several in the 22-24" range.  The logger let them stand, as he didn't know what to do with them.

We saw them and put it on sticks for guys like thedeerdude.     I know of one guy who made cabinets out of it.  Sassafras used to be sold as black ash.

[Don P]

Mark,
I've read some on that too. Sass has been shown to be cancer causing in lab rats at very high dosages. This triggered the pulling of it from beverages in the 60's-70's. To fight that kind of ruling takes a large amount of money, the market couldn't justify the research so it has been given a label that, while technically true, really isn't. A few cups of tea sure isn't going to raise your risk more than say, breathing a snootful of city air. If you're drinking 800 cups a day it might be time to think about switching to decaf  .

A colonial toothbrush was a sprig of sassafrass chewed to a brush end.

[Lanier_Lurker]

Instead of using the roots and shoots, I use the leaves of sassafras to make tea.  Late season leaves that have fallen naturally are the best.  I have a sassafras whose crown overhangs my deck, and every year from mid October to mid November I can gather all the leaves I want.  I think I read somewhere that leaf tea is much safer than root tea, but I agree that root tea is probably not as unsafe as it is given credit.

I use scissors to cut up a handfull or so of leaves, put them into the coffee pot with 3 or 4 cups of cold water, set it on the coffee pot hot plate, and let it steep for about an hour.  If you boil the water or get it too hot then the tea is not as good.  Afterwards I either drink it straight or cut it with water if it is too strong.  A touch of honey is nice to add.

The effect that sassafras leaves have on liquid is pretty amazing.  They cause the liquid to thicken noticeably.  I guess this is why they use it to thicken soups and stews in Cajun and Creole cooking.

BTW, I have never seen sassafras anywhere near the sizes that you guys are talking about.  Either my travels are limited, or they just don't get as big down here in Georgia.

[limbrat]

I know that sasafrass has red and white roots and that maw maw only used the red roots.

[SPIKER]

I have a pretty good stand of saplings (under 3") that are around that particular tree for say ~100 yards in most directions OUT out of the woods, this tree is some 30yards IN from the edge and in a corner of the woods so that the saplings/seedlings are being spread pretty good, and the bigger problem is deer damaging the saplings, (though I have wanted toyank a few more just for the root bark for the smell   anyhow I haven't tried the tea in any form but used to LOVE the rootbeer that you could buy back in the 70s but have not seen any in forever...   just the candy which I do not know if it has any actual tree material in it at all or just all artificial.

mark M

[SwampDonkey]

Amazon had some sassafras candy drops for sale under the name Amish Meadow.

http://www.amazon.com/Fashioned-Sassafras-Candy-Drops-Bulk/dp/B0000DCWW4

[SPIKER]

Amazon had some sassafras candy drops for sale under the name Amish Meadow.

http://www.amazon.com/Fashioned-Sassafras-Candy-Drops-Bulk/dp/B0000DCWW4

Ge thanks SwampDonkey  I went to look it says "Currently un-available with unknown as to WHEN or IF it will be in stock!
ya went & got my hopes UP :p   Mark  hahaha   they DO have it every now and again at our local Buelers store under a "Old fashioned Hard Candy" name with about 6 flavors but probably all just 100% artificial no actual organic materials in it?

Mark