sassafras tree help?

[mcginnis6010]

Does anyone know how to identify sassafras trees in the winter? I really wanna make some sassafras tea like my grandfather used to but I have no idea how to identify in the winter.

[bowtarist]

If yuo flake the top layer of bark off, it will be red underneath.  The smaller limbs are smooth and fresh limbs are green.  I'll try to get back to you tomorrow when I look @ ouur in the daylight.  dpgratz

[mcginnis6010]

Sounds good thanks for the info

[nclonghunter]

Saplins that are an inch or so thick will have a grayish bark bottom and the upper parts about 1/2 way up  will start having a redish brown look. Shouldn't be head high maybe. Usually find several in a small area together.  Pull one of the smaller ones and smell the root. It is a great smell...Good Luck

[bowtarist]

This is the best I can do for now.  The small trees three to five feet tall are still mostly green barked. Smooth.  When I scratched the bark w/ my thumb nail it smelled like sassverass.  I'm pretty sure you use the bark of the root for the tea.  I would look for these smaller ones since getting to the root might be a little easier than a full grown tree.  The big old/dead sassafras often have woodpecker holes in them.  I hope tis helps a little and good luck to you, dpgratz

[Lee Slikkers]

I just harvested a small bucket of Sass root for Tea 2 days ago.  (Had one awesome pot of the stuff too...yum!!!)  Are you looking for pics of immature & mature trees?  No leaves on em here in MI yet but I think some of the very small stuff I pulled for root had buds starting on them.  I can snap some pics of the various aged trees here on my property if that would help ya out?  Let me know~

[Lee Slikkers]

OK, figured I'd pop outside and snap a few pics for you...here are a bunch and you can see I chose Sass trees of gradually increasing size/age so you can see how the bark changes as they grow.  I hope it helps some...cheers~

[mcginnis6010]

Thanks Lee those pics do help. I appreciate it can't wait to boil up some tea! oh BTW can you use the rest of the tree for anything else?

[Bevan R.]

I made my father a 40# bow from a sassafras board. Loved to work the stuff. I could sand on that all day.

[Lee Slikkers]

It can be used as bow wood, wood for bowls, spoons, feather sticks, NA flutes, suppose a bunch of different uses.  I know the crushed up leaves can be used in soups/stews as a thickening agent too.

[mcginnis6010]

Sounds like sassafras is a tree with 101 uses LOL.

[Sparrow]

Dry the young leaves and then grind them to a powder,you have file (Fee Lay) for the gumbo !  '  Frank

[Lone500]

from my experience its just hard to find a good strait grained peice of sassafras. and what ive played with was pretty brittle too.

[Lee Slikkers]

from my experience its just hard to find a good strait grained peice of sassafras. and what ive played with was pretty brittle too.

When I first found PA I thought any wood could make a bow (and I suppose it could but...) and I cut, dried and tried a few staves of Sass, brittle, ring porous and not hardly worth the effort imho, some folk's mileage may vary.

[Pat B]

Sassafras was one of Mourice Thompson's(of The Wichery of Archery) favorite bowwoods.  I made a few way back when(I didn't know anything about building wood bows).  I also cut a 12" sas tree that was stovepipe straight and got three 7' logs out of it. When I split it my bow staves turned into twisted fence rails. Made a pretty fence!