Sassafras

Sassafras albidum

Taxonomy

Division:: Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:: Lauraceae
Genus:: Sassafras
Species:: Sassafras albidum

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:: Perennial
Growth Habit:: Shrub , Tree
Height:: More than 40 ft
Light Requirements:: Full Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Drought Tolerance:: Medium
Bloom Months:: mar, apr, may
Bloom Colors:: Yellow, Green, Brown
Food Forest:: Plant contains edible parts

Native Range

United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: Ontario

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Ailanthus silkmoth (Samia cynthia), Apamea alia, Bagworm moth (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis), Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), crispate flannel moth (Megalopyge crispata), Curve-toothed geometer (Eutrapela clemataria), Drexel's datana moth (Datana drexelii), Fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), hopeful dagger moth (Acronicta sperata), Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis), Io moth (Automeris io), Morrisonia latex, Phaecasiophora niveiguttana, Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), Promethea silkmoth (Callosamia promethea), Regal Moth (Citheronia regalis), sassafras caloptilia moth (Caloptilia sassafrasella), signate melanolophia moth (Melanolophia signataria), southern metarranthis moth (Metarranthis hypochraria), Spotted Apatelodes (Apatelodes torrefacta), Tulip-tree beauty (Epimecis hortaria), Tulip-tree Silkmoth (Callosamia angulifera), Walker’s Atlas Moth (Samia walkeri), White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma), woodland leafroller (Pandemis lamprosana), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus), Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes), Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Butterflies:American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus), Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea), Falcate Orangetip (Anthocharis midea), Horace's Duskywing (Gesta Evans), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:: rich, well-drained loamy soil
pH:: 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
Drainage:: excellent drainage required
Moisture:: dry to moderate
Notes:: prefers forested areas with organic matter

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Seeds are cold stratified for 120 days and germinate at 30/20 C. Pre-scarified and inoculated seeds are dusted with fungicide and hand-sown into rows. Endomycorrhizae are sprinkled over the seed before covering with soil. The beds are then mulched with aged sawdust, which is scraped back in the spring before seedling emergence.

Establishment: Fruit is collected in the GRSM in August and September, in Cumberland Gap in September. S. albidum is found from Maine to Florida in dry or rich woods, roadsides and old fields.

Source: npn.rngr.net