Sassafras is a genus composed of three species native to North America [1], China [1] and Taiwan [1]. The name sassafras is a Native American name used by the Spanish and French in Florida in the middle of the 16th century. In 1577, the use of sassafras by Native Americans was reported and in 1587, Sir Walter Raleigh brought it back to England from the Virginia Colony. In the early 17th century (1602–1603), several ships were dispatched from England to the colonies to collect sassafras roots; the colonists used the wood to build forts. These forays were known as the Great Sassafras Hunts.
Other Common Names: ague-tree, black ash,
cinnamon wood, common sassafras, file-gumbo, gumbo-file, red sassafras,
sasafras, sassafac, sassafrac, sassafras, sassafrasso,
saxifrax, saxifrax tree, smelling-stick, wah-en-nah-kas, white
sassafras.
Distribution: Sassafras is native to North America from Maine through Ontario, Michigan, Iowa, and Kansas, to Florida and Texas.
The Tree: The tree can reach a height of 90 ft (27 m) and a diameter of 5 ft (1.5 m). The leaves vary in shape from simple (entire) to mitten-shape to tri-lobed on the same tree. Sassafras produces greenish-yellow flowers in the spring and bright red, yellow, and orange foliage in the fall. It has thick, dark red-brown bark that is deeply furrowed. Trees are either male or female, although the flowers may appear perfect. The fruits are olive-shaped to spherical, with a dark skin and thin flesh. Sassafras is a pioneer species, the first to invade abandoned fields. It spreads asexually by root runners, forming small groves of the tree. Sassafras grows alongside persimmon, oak, sweetgum, dogwood, ironwood and pawpaw.
General Wood Characteristics: Sassafras heartwood
is pale brown to orange brown, resembling ash or chestnut; the
sapwood is a narrow yellowish-white. The wood is coarse-grained,
straight, brittle and soft, with a spicy aromatic odor. Sassafras
is a ring-porous
species.
Weighta
Weight
Moisture Specific lb/ft3 kg/m3
content gravity
Green 0.42 44 705
12% 0.46 31 497
Ovendry 0.47 NA NA
aReferences: specific gravity, green and
12%, (98);
specific gravity, ovendry (59); weight,
(59).
Mechanical propertiesa
Property Green Dry
MOE 0.91 106 6.274 GPa 1.12 106 7.722 GPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
MOR 6.00 103 41.370 MPa 9.00 103 62.055 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C| | 2.73 103 18.823 MPa 4.76 103 32.820 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
C 0.37 103 2.551 MPa 0.85 103 5.861 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
WML 7.1 48.955 kJ/m3 8.7 59.987
in-lbf/in3 in-lbf/in3 kJ/m3
Hardness 520 lbf 2,312.96 N 630 lbf 2,802.24 N
Shear| | 0.95 103 6.550 MPa 1.24 103 8.549 MPa
lbf/in2 lbf/in2
aReference (98) except hardness (59).
Drying and shrinkagea
Percentage of shrinkage
(green to final moisture
content)
Type of 0% MC 6% MC 20% MC
shrinkage
Tangential 6.2 5.0 2.1
Radial 4.0 3.2 1.3
Volumetric 10.3 8.2 3.4
aReferences: 0% MC, (98); 6% and 20%
MC, (90).
Kiln drying schedulea
4/4, 5/4, 8/4 10/4 12/4 16/4
Condition 6/4 stock stock stock stock
stock
Standard T8-D4 NA NA NA NA
aReferences (6, 86).
Working Properties: Sassafras is easily worked and takes a finish well. It glues well and holds screws better than nails.
Durability: Sassafras is very resistant to heartwood decay in exposed, damp conditions, making it good for fence posts and the sills of houses.
Preservation: No information available at this time.
Uses: Lumber, furniture, posts, fence rails and posts, kindling, boxes, cooperage (slack), general millwork, small boats, oil from root bark, colonial dye (orange) from bark.
Toxicity: No information available at this time.
Additional Reading: 13, 29, 55, 68, 74. 55, 66, 68, 74, 79. 28, 29, 42, 43, 44, 48, 50, 55, 56, 68, 72, 73, 74, 79, 92, 97, 102. 74, 75, 77, 99, 106. 101. 82, 104.