Sassafras

[Lnewman]

I was walking through the woods this weekend and noticed an old dead tree had fallen down and taken with it a nice straight sassafras tree about 10 or 11 inches  in diameter.  I was sad to see it happen because this seems to be the only sassafras tree in the woodlot.  Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do with the sassafras wood?

[duckslayingpro]

Make a few boat paddles.

[Jay C. White Cloud]

Some of the most beautiful kitchenware, (bowls, ladles, spoons, etc,) and even kitchen cabinets I have ever seen or made, came from this wood.  "Spicewood," as it was called in our family was prized above all others for these purposes.  I have found, on very rare occasions, inner cabinets made of the beautiful aromatic wood, that even after almost two centuries, still carried it scent.

Regards,

jay

[mesquite buckeye]

I have also heard it is good soundwood for musical instruments.

Definitely worth cutting, even that small.

[limbrat]

The heart wood is durable so its good for outdoor projects. It finishes without stain to a bronze color and it has a nice sheen so its good for indoor projects. Tore a corn crib down that had 130 yr old hand hewn sasafrass seals. It is excellent for smoking meats like sausage and i like it for bbq chicken and pork but just like any smoking wood to much can be too much. It burns good but its a shame in my opion to use it for fire wood. It has a lot of good qualities but it is not shade tolorant and dont like fire so there are not many mature trees and no real market.

[JohnW]

Dig up some of the roots, and you can have sassafras tea, of course. 

There must be other little sassafras trees around there.

[ancjr]

Can't imagine how you could only have 1 sassafras in an area... all mine has grown in clumps with a 10-12" in the center, surrounded by 6'ers and then a 50ft circle of 1-2'ers.  They do need light to get past sapling stage, however.  Poor man's oak!

[mesquite buckeye]

I found one little sassafras tree about a foot and a half tall in my woods in Missouri about 10 years ago. Haven't seen it or another one there since. 10 miles away it is everywhere. ??? ;D

[Magicman]

I had two 100+ year old axe hewn beams that I supposed to be Ash, but when I sawed into them the aroma was immediately identified.  Sassafras.


 


 
I used them as risers for my Cabin steps. 

[Ron Wenrich]

It used to be sawn as black ash in some areas.  I sawed some for the mill owner, and he had it made into kitchen cabinets.  I also noticed that the price for the lumber is the same as oak.  Its a little hard to market a 10-11" tree.  Not a whole lot of wood.