Sassafras Sassafras albidum (Nuttall) Nees  Synonyms: Sassafras sassafras, Sassafrass albidum var. molle.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Laureles   >   Family Lauraceae   >   Genus Sassafras   

Status:

"Southwestern Maine to Michigan and Illinois, south to Virginia and Arkansas" (Reed, 1964).

Relationships:

A host plant for Spicebush Swallowtail and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Host plant for various moth species including Imperial Moth, Tulip-tree Silk Moth, Promethea Moth, Io Moth, Woograin Leafroller Moth, Spotted Apatelodes Moth, Tulip-tree Beauty Moth, Signate Melanolophia Moth, Sassafras Caloptilia Moth, Fluid Arches Moth, and Evergreen Bagworm Moth, (Database of World's Lepidopteran Host Plants).

There are 647 records in the project database.

View species at Maryland Plant Atlas

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The bark of a mature Sassafras in Wicomico Co., Maryland (1/25/2014). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Talbot Co., Maryland (2/19/2017). Photo by Jared Satchell. (MBP list)

Sassafras at Fort Smallwood Park, Maryland (5/5/2012). Note the three different shapes of leaf on the same tree: rounded, three-pronged, and "mitten"-shaped. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Sassafras at Fort Smallwood Park, Maryland (5/5/2012). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Sassafras blooming in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/14/2016). Photo by Robert Ferraro. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Kent Co., Maryland (4/27/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Sassafras growing in Caroline Co., Maryland (4/26/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (4/25/2015). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/13/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Sassafras flowers in Washington Co., Maryland (4/21/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Sassafras with unripe fruit in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/15/2012). The fruit will ripen to have red stalks and black berries. Sassafras fruit is a popular food source for birds. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/15/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Closeup of the fruit of Sassafras in Worcester Co., Maryland (8/4/2012). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Sassafras growing in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/26/2019). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Fruit of Sassafras in Frederick Co., Maryland (9/23/2015). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Caroline Co., Maryland (6/5/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Flowering Sassafras in Prince George's Co., Maryland (4/17/2016). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Sassafras growing in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (5/8/2016). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Garrett Co., Maryland (10/3/2013). Photo by Boyer and McDowell. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Garrett Co., Maryland (6/2/2014). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Allegany Co., Maryland (5/9/2016). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (8/4/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Howard Co., Maryland (4/22/2010). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Sassafras (young plant in late fall) in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (11/21/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Harford Co., Maryland (10/30/2016). Photo by Dave Webb. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Howard Co., Maryland (11/1/2016). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/20/2010). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Baltimore City, Maryland (10/27/2012). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Sassafras in bloom in Howard Co., Maryland (7/25/2017). Collected and processed by Helen Lowe Metzman. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

Sassafras in bloom in Howard Co., Maryland (7/25/2017). Collected and processed by Helen Lowe Metzman. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

Sassafras in bloom in Howard Co., Maryland (7/25/2017). Collected and processed by Helen Lowe Metzman. Photo by USGS PWRC. (MBP list)

Sassafras growing in Harford Co., Maryland (11/27/2016). Photo by Dave Webb. (MBP list)

Sassafras in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/29/2017). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)


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