Herb & Spice Companion

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HERB & SPICE COMPANION

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SASSAFRAS

Sassafras albidum

Flavors: bitter, woody, citrus

The sassafras tree is a majestic sight: It grows up to 60 feet tall with leaves that turn

dazzling colors in fall—from green-yellow to orange, pink, red, and purple. The leaves

create a circular awning around the tree, offering shade and tasty nibbles for wildlife

like deer, rabbits, caterpillars, and birds.

Tear a sassafras leaf in your hands,

and you’ll get a whiff of root beer. In

fact, the original recipe for root beer

used sassafras as a key flavoring. But not

anymore: In the 1970s, the FDA prohib-

ited use of the herb in foods thanks to a

compound called safrole, believed to be

a possible cause of cancer.

Sassafras leaves are safe to consume,

and they’re used to make filé powder, an

essential thickening and flavoring agent

in New Orleans–style gumbos.

In the Garden

Sassafras trees can grow very tall, with a wide, leafy spread, so they’ll need a spot that’s

far from other tall plants or structures. They have long taproots that aren’t amenable to

transplanting, so the initial planting site should be permanent. They’ll grow healthily in

containers that are several inches wider and deeper than the root ball.

Size: Up to 60 feet tall and 40 feet wide

Light: Full sun

Soil: Moist, rich, well drained

HEALTH BENEFITS

Prized by Native Americans as a

miracle medicinal herb, sassafras

root extract was widely believed to

heal everything from fever to measles

to intestinal worms. These days,

however, sassafras products must

have the safrole removed before

they’re marketed for sale.

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