Growing a sassafras tree is a great way to create habitat for wildlife.
Its yellow-green flowers appear in spring, followed by blue fleshy fruit on female trees.
Manybirds devour the fruit, includingeastern bluebirds, pileated woodpeckers, and yellowthroat warblers.
Credit:Denny Schrock
The trees fragrant bark also attracts wildlife.
Black bears, beavers, rabbits, and squirrels are known to forage on the bark.
Here’s how to plant and grow a sassafras tree in your yard.
Sassafras also makes an effective living screen when it is allowed to form a thicket.
How and When to Plant Sassafras Tree
Plant a sassafras tree in spring or fall.
Begin with a young, small tree because sassafras has a taproot that makes transplanting it challenging.
Young trees are also more likely to become established and thrive than older, large trees.
Begin by digging a planting hole as deep as the height of the trees root ball and slightly wider.
Plant the tree in the hole, checking the planting depth.
Backfill the planting hole with native soil, packing it in as you go to eliminate air pockets.
Using soil, build a small berm around the root zone to hold water.
The berm aids in delivering water to the root zone for several weeks after planting.
Cover the root zone with a 2-inch-thicklayer of mulch.
Finally, water the newly planted tree with 10 gallons of water.
Continue to water weekly until the tree establishes a robust root system.
Sassafras Tree Care Tips
Light
Sassafras treegrows best in full sun or part shade.
The best planting location has eight hours or more of direct sunlight daily.
Be mindful of nearby buildings or trees that cast shade on the young tree.
Soil and Water
Loose,well-drained loam soilis best for growing a sassafras tree.
It also grows well in sandy soil, provided it receives regular moisture.
Sassafras is particularlywell-suited to acidic soilscommonly found in the eastern United States.
It tolerates clay soil, but growth is slow.
It does not grow in wet or boggy soil.
After sassafras establishes a robust root systemtypically within a year after plantingit can tolerate drought well.
Water young plants weekly to spur them to develop a strong root system.
Temperature and Humidity
Sassafras thrives in heat and cold.
Count on it to grow well in a variety of climatesfrom Maine to Florida to eastern Texas.
This North American native has the potential to tolerate changing environmental conditions well.
Fertilizer
Sassafras doesnt require fertilizer.
Boost nutrient levels in the trees root zone by top-dressing the area with a 2-inch-thick layer ofwell-decomposed compost.
Nutrients seep into the plants root zone as the compost breaks down.
Pruning
Sassafras trees naturally produce many suckerswoody growths rising from trunk or roots.
If a lawn mower damages the roots or trunk, for example, the tree produces even more suckers.
Pests and Problems
Sassafras has few serious pest and disease problems.
(Sassafras grows best in acidic soil.)
There are remedies to reverse the chlorosis, but the treatments are likely needed for many years.
Trees growing in consistently wet, clay soil are highly susceptible to root rot.
Dont plant a sassafras tree in clay soil.
How to Propagate Sassafras Tree
A sassafras tree can be propagated easily from root sprouts.
It doesnt reproduce well from stem cuttings, but it can be propagated with root cuttings.
Large roots planted horizontally work best, although small roots planted vertically are sometimes successful.
Sassafras Tree Companion Plants
Pair sassafras trees with other native North American trees.
American Hornbeam
Slow-growingAmerican hornbeamis a North American native tree that suits most residential landscapes.
In spring, the tree is a kaleidoscope of color with reddish-purple leaves that turn dark green in summer.
In fall, the foliage turns yellow and orange-red.
This tree grows 2030 feet tall.
Black Locust
Low-maintenanceblack locustgrows in all types of soil except for soil that is always wet.
It transplants easily and requires little extra care.
In mid-spring, it delivers ropelike clusters of pink and white flowers that attract bees.
This tree reaches 80 feet tall and 50 feet wide at maturity.
Oak
Growing to 70100 feet tall, oak trees set the standard for American shade trees.
These majestic trees are known for their fall color and come in many varieties.
Moist,organic-amended soilin full sun encourages most oak trees to grow quickly to their full potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sassafras trees naturally produce many suckers.
Root or trunk damage causes the tree to produce even more suckers.
Sassafras trees are male or female.
Female trees produce fruit, and male trees dont.
However, you need at least one female and one male for pollination.
If your female tree doesnt produce fruit, add a male tree nearby.
If your tree is male, add a female.
