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Sassafras, an Interesting Genus
According to the Living Collection, Quarryhill has
nine specimens of Sassafras tzumu, and one each
of S. albidum and S. randaiense. These three
species comprise all the living members of the
genus Sassafras, so we have a complete
collection of the genus except for one extinct
species.
S. albidum is native to Eastern North America,
while S. tzumu and S. randaiense are found in
Eastern Asia, with S. randaiense confined to
Taiwan.
All parts of the tree are aromatic due to essential
oils. The leaves, stems, bark, roots and root bark
have all been used for medicinal and culinary
purposes by American Indians, early American
settlers, Europeans, and others. The genus
belongs to the Lauraceae family, which contains
many other aromatic trees like the bay laurel
(Laurus nobilis), and the California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica), cinnamon
(Cinnamomum verum), and many others. All of these species produce essential oils,
meaning a fragrant essence of the plant, not that the oil is indispensable in some way.
S. albidum is dioecious, with small
yellow male and female flowers on
separate trees. The Asian species
have male and female flowers on
the same plant, which makes
insect pollination easier. Seeds
are spread by birds, which find the
fruit attractive.
The male flower is on the left,
female on the right.
The Asian plants also have a higher proportion of three-lobed leaves than S. albidum,
but all species have one-, two- and three-lobed, generally ovate leaves. All species
prefer open forest areas and can grow to 100 feet tall under favorable conditions.
Unlike many other species in the Lauraceae family that are usually evergreen, the
Sassafras genus is deciduous.
HISTORY
As early as the 1560s, French visitors to North
America discovered the medicinal qualities of
sassafras, which was also exploited by the
Spanish who arrived in Florida. English settlers at
Roanoke reported surviving on boiled sassafras
leaves and dog meat during times of starvation.
Upon the arrival of the English on the Eastern
coast of North America, sassafras trees were
reported as plentiful. Sassafras was sold in
England and in continental Europe, where it was
sold as a dark beverage called "saloop" that had
medicinal qualities and used as a medicinal cure
for a variety of ailments.
The discovery of sassafras occurred at the same
time as a severe syphilis outbreak in Europe.
Little was then understood about this terrible
disease, and sassafras was touted as a cure.
During a brief period in the early 17th century,
sassafras was the second-largest export from the British colonies in North America
behind tobacco. The gathering of sassafras bark brought European settlers and Native
Americans into contact, sometimes dangerous to both groups. Sassafras was such a
desired commodity in England that its importation was included in the Charter of the
Colony of Virginia in 1610.
MEDICINAL AND CULINARY USES
The essential oil in highest concentration in Sassafras is safrole. It occurs in all parts of
the plant, with high concentrations in the roots. While root beer was made from
Sassafras in early settler days, it was probably to make the ingestion of safrole more
palatable since it was used as a patent medicine for treating many kinds of ailments as
mentioned above. Root beer today in the USA, and since its beginnings in other
countries where it is called sarsaparilla, is made from Sarsaparilla, a tropical vine,
Smilex ornate, or from artificial flavorings.
The Choctaw Indians used the dried ground up leaves as a flavoring for stews, and this
compound, called file powder, became incorporated into Creole cooking and became a
component of gumbo.
FURTHER READING
The genus Sassafras: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassafras
Sassafras albidum:
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassafras_albidum
“A Modern Herbal”:
www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/sassaf20.html
Sassafras albidum (Nutt-USDA Forest Service) www.na.fs.fed.us/.../sassafras/albidum.htm