Sassafras, << SAS uh fras, >> is a medium-sized tree of the laurel family. It is found chiefly in the Eastern United States. It also grows as a shrub along roads. The tree grows best in open woods in moist, well-drained soils. It may reach a height of 100 feet (30 meters).
The sassafras tree bears small, pale-yellow flowers. The leaves have one, two, or three lobes. The two-lobed leaves are shaped like a mitten. The green twigs, leaves, and bark have a spicy taste and fragrance. Sassafras tea is prepared by boiling the root bark. Oil of sassafras is distilled from the roots and bark and used to perfume soap. The soft, yellow wood of the tree is used for paneling, furniture, and fence posts.
