Sassafras

=Research (Completed)= Hannah Duminske __ Sassafras __ Kingdom- Plantae Division Angiosperms Class: Magnoliids Order: Laurales Family: Lauraceae Genus: Sassafras

The sassafras trees’ height can range from 30-59 feet and the trunks can be 28-59 inches in diameter. You can detect a sassafras tree because it has smooth orange-brown bark with slender branches. A matured trunk though is red-brown, thick, and is deeply furrowed. Its leaves are very fragrant and they have three distinct leaf patterns. They have smooth margins, and are either un-lobed oval, bi-lobed, or tri-lobed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassafras#cite_note-noble-5

Devon Dubensky Sassafras is important to wildlife because white- tail deer eat the leaves and twigs in both the winter and the summer. Groundhogs, rabbits and bears feed on the leaves of sassafras and rabbits eat the bark in the winter. Beavers will sometimes even cut the stems. Many species of birds and small mammals eat the fruits off the sassafras. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassafras#cite_note-noble-5
 * __ Sassafras __**

Native Americans used sassafras because they believed it had healing properties. In the 16th century Doctors found that they could use sassafras bark for medicine. Also used in perfumes and flavoring in root beer. Was banned from the FDA in products because they have carcinogenic potential. This tree is native to eastern North America and eastern Asia. Kyle Yoho [] [] []


 * Species**

There are multiple species of the Sassafras trees

· White Sassafras, sassafras, silky sassafras, or red sassafras

· Chinese Sassafras Tzumu

· Taiwanese Sassafras


 * Uses**

Sassafras trees are used for many things. They produce oil, safrole, which was used in perfumes, food, and soap. This oil was also used in aromatherapy. Extract from the trees were used in root beer as well. The oils from the trees are used drugs such as MDMA and MDA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sassafras =Information= The scientific name for the Sassafras tree is //Sassafras// //albidum//. Sassafras trees are located in the eastern part of the U.S. but are mostly found in the acidic soils in the southeast of Ohio. They also have three different leaf patterns. The uses of sassafras are that they produce oil, safrole, food, and soap.Sassafras is also important to wildlife because groundhogs, bears, and rabbits all feed on the sassafras leaves while animals, like white tail deer, eat the twigs and bark.