Sassafras Tree

The sassafras tree is highly prized for its aromatic foliage. It grows well in Hardiness Zones 4 through 9 throughout most Eastern United States. It is very hardy and easy to grow.

Sassafras Tree Is Stunning In The Fall

It can be planted in dense thickets to produce brilliant foliage displays in fall or planted alone as a shade or ornamental type. When used in landscaping, seedlings and very young ones are preferred for transplanting, as older ones are generally challenging to transplant successfully. The seeds are also suitable for germination. Seeds are collected in the autumn and planted the following spring.

Sassafras trees are medium-fast growers, with most types adding 13 to 24 inches to their height each year. At maturity, they reach 30 to 60 feet high and have a canopy that reaches 25 to 40 feet wide.

The Sassafras Tree Likes Shade And Sun

They thrive in areas with at least four hours of direct sunlight daily but also tolerate partial shade. This plant prefers soil with a low pH but can live in various soil types, including wet, acidic, and loamy soils. It is tallest when grown in well-drained, loamy soil or well-drained sandy soil. It is moderately drought-tolerant and can withstand some exposure to salt.

Sassafras Trees Foliage Turns Bright Orange In The Fall

Sassafras Tree has three types of leaves on its branches: a mitten-shaped leaf, a three-lobed leaf, and a simple oval-shaped leaf. In autumn, the leaves transform into brilliant orange, purple, red, and yellow foliage. The fruit is a 1/2-inch purple berry that appears in autumn, and both male and female flowers produce fragrant yellow blooms. The bark is reddish brown and furrowed, and at maturity, the tree has a rounded shape with thin branches.