A sassafras tree’s brilliant red, orange, and yellow fall colors cause passersby to slow down and admire the view. That alone could be reason enough to grow a sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum) but this large North American native plant has much more to offer. Its yellow-green flowers appear in spring, followed by blue fleshy fruit on female trees. Many birds devour the fruit, including eastern bluebirds, pileated woodpeckers, and yellowthroat warblers. The tree’s 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.

Where to Plant Sassafras Tree

Plant sassafras tree where it will have room to grow into a large shade tree that will offer spring flowers and brilliant fall color. It will reach a mature size—up to 60 feet tall—in full sun and likely top out at about 30 feet tall in part shade. Sassafras also makes an effective living screen when it is allowed to form a thicket. Plant it where it can spread and cut the stems back to ground level every three years to keep the plant at shrub size.

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 tree’s root ball and slightly wider. Plant the tree in the hole, checking the planting depth. The root flair, or swollen area where the roots emerge from the trunk, should be at or slightly above the surrounding grade. 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-thick layer 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 tree grows best in full sun or part shade. In its natural habitat, this large tree is found at the edge of woodlands or in open landscapes where it receives maximum sunlight. 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 soil is best for growing a sassafras tree. It also grows well in sandy soil, provided it receives regular moisture. Sassafras is particularly well-suited to acidic soils commonly 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 system—typically within a year after planting—it 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 climates—from Maine to Florida to eastern Texas. This North American native has the potential to tolerate changing environmental conditions well.

Fertilizer

Sassafras doesn’t require fertilizer. Boost nutrient levels in the tree’s root zone by top-dressing the area with a 2-inch-thick layer of well-decomposed compost. Nutrients seep into the plant’s root zone as the compost breaks down.

Pruning

Sassafras trees naturally produce many suckers—woody growths rising from trunk or roots. If a lawn mower damages the roots or trunk, for example, the tree produces even more suckers. The suckers must be regularly cut back to ground level or to the base of the trunk to maintain a single-stem tree.

If you prefer a thicket or shrub-like sassafras plant, allow the suckers to emerge and cut them back to ground level every three years. Because sassafras produces so many suckers that require constant maintenance, it is often bypassed for other native trees that are easier to care for.

Pests and Problems

Sassafras has few serious pest and disease problems. If leaves turn yellow while the veins remain green, the plant is likely suffering from chlorosis due to growing in alkaline soil. (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. Don’t plant a sassafras tree in clay soil.

How to Propagate Sassafras Tree

A sassafras tree can be propagated easily from root sprouts. It doesn’t 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-growing American hornbeam is 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 20–30 feet tall.

Black Locust

Low-maintenance black locust grows 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 70–100 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 soil in full sun encourages most oak trees to grow quickly to their full potential.