We’ve been working on our tree ID skills over the past year and one of the first we looked up turned out to be Sassafras (yes, there’s only one s at the end). This type of tree is easy to notice and identify because the leaves are very distinct. There are actually three different leaf shapes on one tree: a simple oblong shape, a two-lobed shape (like a mitten), and a three-lobed shape (like some kind of dinosaur footprint).
You can see the buds in this recent post. In fall, the leaves are a variety of colors, including yellow, and shades of orange and red, sometimes mixed.
The trunks tend to grow in a twisted manner, also making them easy to spot.
When I hear “sassafras” I first think of tea or root beer, drinks typically associated with the southern/south-eastern U.S. where these trees are more commonly found. Dried and ground leaves are also used in some gumbo recipes. The FDA has banned some food and drinks made from the tree because the oil contains safrole which was shown in some studies to cause cancer.
We haven’t analyzed the roots yet, but torn leaves or broken/cut branches are extremely aromatic, with a strong lemony scent. All in all an interesting tree, but a bit of a nuisance because of how prolific they are (the berry-like fruits, of which I don’t have my own photo, are eaten by birds or other animals who later “deposit” the seeds).