The Sassafras Tree And Its Uses

Sassafras trees are native to the eastern United States from Florida to Maine, but also found in the midwest. 

The trees grow in thickets and at the edges of woods and forests. Sassafras was introduced to Europe, where it is now naturalized and grows in wooded areas. 

The largest Sassafras tree in the United States is located in Owensboro, Kentucky, which measures over 100 feet high and 21 feet in circumference.  It was first mentioned for its size in 1883.

All parts of the sassafras tree are fragrant;  twigs and young leaves smell like lemons when they are crushed, and mature leaves smell like root beer when broken or crushed (actually root beer smells like sassafras). 

My Aunt Lois lived in southern Illinois and I liked to walk in a woods behind my her house. I learned to identify small sassafras trees (saplings) because of their three different leaf shapes. I took photos of the leaves when they were new and green, and then throughout the autumn when they changed to yellow, orange, and red colors.

Sassafras trees usually grow from 20-40 feet high, although I've never noticed one. By the time they're that tall, I'd wouldn't be able to see the leaves so I need to learn to notice different tree barks.

photo of sassafras flowers from wikipedia commons

  "Drink sassafras tea during the month of March and you won't need a doctor all year."  ~~~ An Old Mountain Saying

I've heard my mother and aunt talking about having sassafras tea when they were children (they lived in southern Illinois).  My grandmother would dig some of the roots in early spring and boil them to make tea.  I've never had "real" sassafras tea, but I hope to try it some day.  

USING SASSAFRAS ROOTS TO MAKE TEA

Find a sapling (small tree) and dig until you expose the roots.  Pull or cut out the roots; they'll be long and thin.  

~~ When you get home, scrub the roots until they're clean.  If the roots are big, pound them with a hammer or other tool to release more flavor when it boils.

~~ I haven't been able to find an exact recipe for making sassafras tea - it depends on whether you want to drink it hot or cold, or even as a tonic.

~~ For your first attempt at making tea, put 2 - 4 ounces of clean root bark in a quart of boiling water.  Bring the water to a boil again and then remove the pan from the heat.  Let the tea steep around 20 minutes.

~~ Try the tea at this time or let it cool for an iced tea.

~~ If the tea is too strong, add more water until you're satisfied.  You may also prefer to sweeten your tea with sugar or honey.  Each time you make sassafras tea, you'll learn how much root and how much water to use.  

~~ If you don't use all your roots, make sure they're clean and let them dry out completely. The dry roots will last a long time.

Sassafras roots have been used for urinary tract disorders, syphilis, bronchitis, high blood pressure, gout, cancer, a blood purifier, and more. 

It can be applied directly to the skin to treat skin problems, insect bites and stings, sore joints (rheumatism), sprains, and swollen eyes. 

Sassafras used to be used to flavor drinks (especially root beer), to flavor candy, and make tea.  But it was learned that sassafras root contains safrole, a chemical that can cause cancer. After conducting tests on rats, the FDA banned sassafras from commercial use in 1976 unless the safrole has been removed first.  

Some people claim that the testing was not accurate because the rats were injected with safrole rather than being allowed to drink it as a tea, and the doses were much higher than humans would normally consume (comparing body weight).  

Powdered sassafras leaves are still sold as Filé powder, a thickening spice for gumbo, because they don’t contain a significant amount of safrole.

You can harvest your own sassafras, of course, or buy genuine root online if it's sold as an herb. Or you can buy commercial sassafras tea, drinks or candy with the safrole removed, or products with artificial flavors.