Sassafras 
Common Names: Ague Tree
Scientific Name: Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees
Family: Lauraceae (Laurel Family)
Native Range: Rare in Canada; occurs in southern Ontario, north of Lake Erie, from southern Lake Huron to the west end of Lake Ontario. In the U.S., native to the eastern states.
Hybridization:
No significant hybridization noted.
Size & Growth
Height: Up to 20 m
Trunk Diameter: Up to 50 cm
Form: Small to medium-sized tree; often shrub-like in dry, sandy soils. Trunk bears many crooked, brittle branches; crown irregular, flat-topped or columnar. Branchlets often have a “staghorn” appearance.
Growth Rate: Medium to fast-growing
Leaves
Type: Deciduous, alternate, simple
Length: 10–15 cm
Shape: Variable — unlobed, 2-lobed (mitten-shaped), or 3-lobed on same tree; base wedge-shaped; tip blunt; margins smooth
Color: Bright green in summer; yellow to red in fall
Odor: Spicy fragrance when bruised
Bark & Twigs
Bark: Dark brown, deeply grooved with soft corky ridges; older trees reddish-brown, thick, and rough
Twigs: Stout, smooth, glossy yellowish-green; brittle
Flowers & Reproduction
Flower Type: Dioecious (male and female flowers on separate trees)
Male Flowers: Small, greenish-yellow, inconspicuous
Female Flowers: Small, greenish-yellow, terminal clusters before leaves
Bloom Period: Early spring, before leaf-out
Fruit:
Berry-like, dark blue, 10–15 mm long
Encased in red cup on long red stalk; several fruits per cluster
Dispersed by birds and small mammals
Vegetative Reproduction: Often by root sprouts, forming colonies
Seed Production: Begins ~10 years; seeds require 120-day cold stratification
Site Requirements
Soil: Loamy to sandy, well-drained
Moisture: Prefers moist, fertile soils but tolerates dry sites
Shade: Full sun to partial shade; intolerant of deep shade
Special Considerations: Thin trunks susceptible to ice and wind damage; deep taproot makes transplanting difficult
Wood Properties
Characteristics: Light, soft, weak, coarse-grained; sapwood yellow, heartwood orange-brown; aromatic
Uses: Lumber, fence posts, boats, furniture, historically root beer flavoring (now discontinued due to carcinogenic compounds)
Ecological Role & Wildlife
Fruits eaten by foxes, wild turkeys, squirrels, quails, sapsuckers, woodpeckers, bears, rabbits, and deer
Dense colonies provide shelter and nesting opportunities
Roots, leaves, bark, and shoots historically used by Native Americans for food, medicine, and dye
Pests & Potential Problems
Susceptible to foliage-eating insects
Root rot possible in poorly drained clay soils
Can form dense thickets via sucker growth; thickets may need thinning if a single-stem form is desired
Fun Facts
Leaves produce a distinctive spicy fragrance when crushed
Rarely lives longer than 30 years in natural conditions
Historically used in root beer, teas, soaps, and traditional medicine
Fall color is striking, ranging from yellow to red-orange
Sources
Farrar, Trees of Canada
USDA NRCS Plant Fact Sheet – Sassafras albidum
Ontario Native Tree Field Guides