Sassafras

Sassafras albidum, Sassafras

Sassafras albidum, or sassafras, is a medium-large tree with alternate, simple leaves that can be lobed or unlobed. As pictured below, sassafras has distinct leaves that occur in three different shapes, entire (unlobed), two unequal lobes (mitten shape) or three equal lobes.

According to Illinois Wildflowers, the roots of Sassafras have been used in making tea and flavoring root beer but I’m not sure I would recommend trying this one as there is some evidence that is may be carcinogenic! Sassafras oil can be used in soaps, and the bark extract can be used to dye wool orange.  (Petrides, George A. 1972, Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and North Central US and Southeast and South Central Canada (Peterson Field Guide). Houghton Miflin, 208 pp.)