Description
Sassafras, there is no other. Unique lobed-mitten shaped leaves. Entire tree has a scent of a blend of cinnamon, lemon grass & root beer. Clusters of small yellow fragrant flowers adorn the plant in spring, followed by red stemmed dark blue fruit. Vivid fall colour. Powered dry leaves are used in Creole/Cajun cooking as file. Dual forms: straight tree or a suckering shrub. Will grow in any loose, moist soil. Seedlings will tolerate dappled hade, but saplings & older trees demand full sunlight for good growth. Not tolerant of shady, soggy sites. Pest & disease resistant. Older plants do not transplant well because of their deep tap root. Gendered.
Culture: prefers full to semi sun; deep humus rich acidic fertile soil (never waterlogged clay soils). Pick a spot where its calm as strong winds can damage leaves.
- Seed Count: 12-15
- Collection Date: Oct 2024
- Hardiness Zone: 4-9
- Height and Width: 10m x 4m
- Germination test type: cut
- Family:
How to germinate Sassafras albidum seed
Use deep nursery pots; fill with well-draining humus rich medium. Sow 8mm deep in a 1 cm layer of coarse sand. Apply a 2-3cm layer of mulch. Protect with 1 in hardware cloth. Keep moist; no hard freeze. Needs 120 days of moist cold to germinate. Keep winter sown pots in the greenhouse; place in dappled shade by late March. Keep hardware cloth on for duration as seedling will find their way through the gaps. What doesn’t germinate this spring will do so the following. Don’t let seedling pot freeze. Makes deep tap roots and will die if grown in anything shallower than a 2 gall pot. VERY REWARDING. Habitat: full/semi sun; well-draining average soil Yellow flowers; unique shaped leaves; scarlet fall color. Whole tree smells like rootbeer with a cinnamon hint. Never over water. Medical; culinary. RARE. Gendered species
