Scientific Name
Sassafras albidum
Trade Name
Sassafras
Family Name
Monimiaceae
Common Names
Sassafras, White sassafras
Regions of Distribution
North America
Countries of Distribution [VIEW MAP]
United States
Common Uses
Boat building, Building materials, Canoes, Foundation posts, Interior construction, Interior trim, Lifeboats, Millwork, Posts, Shipbuilding, Stakes
Environmental Profile
| Vulnerable | ||||||||||||
| Widespread | ||||||||||||
| May be rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery | ||||||||||||
| Globally secure | ||||||||||||
| Data source is Nature Conservancy | ||||||||||||
| Abundant |
Distribution Overview
This North American species is distributed in Ontario, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Kansas, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, and West Virginia. The tree prefers moist, particularly sandy, soils of uplands and valleys, and is often found in old fields, clearings, and forest openings.
Heartwood Color
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| Orange | ||||||||||||
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| White | ||||||||||||
| Red | ||||||||||||
| Pink | ||||||||||||
| Tan | ||||||||||||
| Pale brown | ||||||||||||
| Dull orange-brown | ||||||||||||
| Darkens after exposure |
The wood has some resemblance to Black ash or Chestnut
Sapwood Color
| Red | ||||||||||||
| Brown | ||||||||||||
| Yellow | ||||||||||||
| White | ||||||||||||
| Merges without any distinction into the heartwood | ||||||||||||
| Light yellow brown or pale orange brown, eventually aging into deep golden-brown |
Grain
| Even | ||||||||||||
| Straight |
| Interesting pattern | ||||||||||||
| Generally straight, but not always |
Texture
| Fine | ||||||||||||
| Coarse |
Luster
| Medium | ||||||||||||
| Medium |
Natural Durability
| Susceptible to insect attack | ||||||||||||
| Non-durable | ||||||||||||
| Perishable | ||||||||||||
| Non-resistant to termites | ||||||||||||
| Non-resistant to powder post beetles | ||||||||||||
| Highly resistant to decay |
Sassafras is suitable for making fences and house sills
Weathering
| Poor |
Odor
| Spicy taste | ||||||||||||
| Aromatic odor on fresh-cut surfaces |
Kiln Schedules
| T8 – D4(4/4)US |
Drying Defects
| Splitting | ||||||||||||
| Checking | ||||||||||||
| Distortion | ||||||||||||
| Discoloration | ||||||||||||
| Extension of Existing Shakes | ||||||||||||
| May check slightly during drying |
Ease of Drying
| Fairly Easy | ||||||||||||
| Rapidly | ||||||||||||
| Seasons without difficuly and is accompanied by little degrade | ||||||||||||
| Moderate kiln schedules are recommended |
Kiln Drying Rate
| Naturally dries quickly | ||||||||||||
| Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast |
Tree Size
| Tree height is 30-40 m | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 20-30 m | ||||||||||||
| Sapwood width is 10-15 cm | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 10-20 m | ||||||||||||
| Tree height is 10-20 m | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 20-30 m | ||||||||||||
| Bole length is 0-10 m |
Product Sources
Most Sassafras trees are too small to yield significant quantities of lumber. When available, Sassafras is often mixed at sawmills with other species such as Ash. Price range is moderate.
Comments
Bark of root is the source of the largest indirect product from Sassafras
Produces oil which is used commercially to scent soaps, medicines and other products
Small roots are used for making Sassafras tea which is considered to be a tonic
Blunting Effect
| Moderate | ||||||||||||
| Little |
Boring
| Fairly difficult to very difficult | ||||||||||||
| Fairly easy to very easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to good results |
Carving
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Cutting Resistance
| Easy to saw | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw | ||||||||||||
| Moderate to saw |
Gluing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Good gluing properties |
Mortising
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Moulding
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results |
Movement in Service
| Fair to Good Stability – Medium Movement | ||||||||||||
| Excellent Stability – Small Movement | ||||||||||||
| Stable | ||||||||||||
| Holds its place well after seasoning |
Nailing
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult | ||||||||||||
| Pre-Boring Recommended | ||||||||||||
| Poor to Very Poor Results | ||||||||||||
| Requires some care |
Planing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Works without difficulty with ordinary tools in planing and other machining operations | ||||||||||||
| Clean, finished surfaces |
Resistance to Abrasion
| Moderate |
Resistance to Impregnation
| Permeable heartwood | ||||||||||||
| Permeable sapwood |
Response to Hand Tools
| Easy to Work | ||||||||||||
| Responds Readily | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work |
Routing & Recessing
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Sanding
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Screwing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Very Good to Excellent Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult | ||||||||||||
| Firmly holds screws |
Turning
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy | ||||||||||||
| Fair to Good Results |
Veneering Qualities
| Veneers easily | ||||||||||||
| Suitable for peeling | ||||||||||||
| Suitable for slicing | ||||||||||||
| Difficult to veneer | ||||||||||||
| No drying degrade | ||||||||||||
| Veneers moderately easy |
Steam Bending
| Poor to Very Poor Results | ||||||||||||
| Unsuitable |
Polishing
| Fair to Good Results | ||||||||||||
| Fairly Easy to Very Easy |
Strength Properties
| Compression strength (parallel to grain) = low | ||||||||||||
| Bending stength in air-dried condition…is medium | ||||||||||||
| Average weight |
Numerical Data
| Item | Green | Dry | English |
| Bending Strength | 5880 | 8820 | psi |
| Crushing Strength | 363 | 833 | psi |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 2675 | 4665 | psi |
| Shearing Strength | 1215 | psi | |
| Stiffness | 892 | 1098 | 1000 psi |
| Work to Maximum Load | 7 | 9 | inch-lbs/in3 |
| Specific Gravity | 0.41 | 0.51 | |
| Weight | 41 | 29 | lbs/ft3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 4 | % | |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 6 | % | |
| Volumetric Shrinkage | 10 | % | |
| Item | Green | Dry | Metric |
| Bending Strength | 413 | 620 | kg/cm2 |
| Crushing Strength | 25 | 58 | kg/cm2 |
| Maximum Crushing Strength | 188 | 327 | kg/cm2 |
| Shearing Strength | 85 | kg/cm2 | |
| Stiffness | 62 | 77 | 1000 kg/cm2 |
| Work to Maximum Load | 0.49 | 0.63 | cm-kg/cm3 |
| Specific Gravity | 0.41 | 0.51 | |
| Weight | 657 | 464 | kg/m3 |
| Radial Shrinkage | 4 | % | |
| Tangential Shrinkage | 6 | % |
References
Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois and E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Woods: Temperate and Tropical. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Madison, Wisconsin.
Kline, M. 1984. Sassafras albidum – Sassafras. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 323-324.
Little, E.L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees – Eastern Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York.
Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
USDA. 1987. Wood Handbook – Wood as an Engineering Material, Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 72, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.
USDA. 1988. Dry Kiln Operators Manual, Preliminary Copy. Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin.