# Anybody willing/able to obtain Sassafras seeds?



## kenuchelover (Sep 29, 2005)

I'm in SE Oklahoma & looking for some Sassafras seeds (the trees are very rare in my county, I haven't been able to find any locally. I can collect roots but not seeds..... due to major deer browsing issues..... in my dad's home county, but I'd like to get a lot of plants started asap).

So does anybody know of Sassafras trees that produced seed this year, that they'd be willing to collect some to send me, or know of a company that sells seed (rather than seedlings) at a reasonable price?


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## ann (Jun 17, 2006)

I've got some Sassafra trees but never noticed any seeds. When are they harvestable and what do they look like, what size? If I've got any, be glad to send some.


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## kenuchelover (Sep 29, 2005)

ann said:


> I've got some Sassafra trees but never noticed any seeds. When are they harvestable and what do they look like, what size? If I've got any, be glad to send some.


They are baby pea sized blue-black "berries", found only on the female trees. They can hang on the tree all fall, but the birds usually get them if you wait too long.

Sassafras also propagates readily from roots, if you're a goodly distance from me (I'm in SE OKlahoma), a section of root might be userful for genetic variation.


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

I was thinking you could grow them from roots. I'm way up in Northwest Arkansas, if you felt like driving that far you could probably find a few young trees you could dig up. I have a TON of sassafrass here. Perhaps if it isn't raining tomorrow I'll go looking to see if there's any seeds out there. I'll let you know if I find anything.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

have you folks got a state forestry nursery.here in virginia we have one and can get seedlings for cheap during the winter.i have about 20persimmon and crabapple to plasnt as sson as leaves drop.the bears here ride the sasafras over and eat the leaves and all off the trees.the largest sass tree i have ever seen was only about 12 inches in diameter.most are just 6inches and about 20feet tall.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

elkhound said:


> have you folks got a state forestry nursery.here in virginia we have one and can get seedlings for cheap during the winter.i have about 20persimmon and crabapple to plasnt as sson as leaves drop.the bears here ride the sasafras over and eat the leaves and all off the trees.the largest sass tree i have ever seen was only about 12 inches in diameter.most are just 6inches and about 20feet tall.


I work in a saw mill.We saw hardwood and sometimes we get sassafrass. I've seen them big enough, so that once you slab off the sides and cut a couple boards off, it will make a 12X8 inch tie. They can get pretty big. I've only seen a sassafrass with seeds on it a couple times in my life. The stem end has a yellow spot that makes it look like an eye. Maybe they don't seed very often. Anyone know? I've got about 500 board foot on my porch now. Going to make our cabinets out of it and cherry.


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## kenuchelover (Sep 29, 2005)

vicker said:


> I work in a saw mill.We saw hardwood and sometimes we get sassafrass. I've seen them big enough, so that once you slab off the sides and cut a couple boards off, it will make a 12X8 inch tie. They can get pretty big. I've only seen a sassafrass with seeds on it a couple times in my life. The stem end has a yellow spot that makes it look like an eye. Maybe they don't seed very often. Anyone know? I've got about 500 board foot on my porch now. Going to make our cabinets out of it and cherry.


Yes, sassafras CAN get up to nearly 60' tall, but deer love them so much that they are normally browsed down on a regular basis. My aunt has one in her yard that is probably 45' tall and better than a foot in diameter.... but it's a male tree, hence no seeds.

They need to reach a certain size to seed, some plants never manage to dodge deer long enough to do that, and instead just keep coming back from the root each time.

500 bf? That'll be interesting to do. The only sassafras lumber I've seen was small pieces polished & made into a parquet style table (showing off 20 odd different woods)..... I recall it as having an unusual grain, almost like many tiny eyes. Strange, but pretty.


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## kenuchelover (Sep 29, 2005)

elkhound said:


> have you folks got a state forestry nursery.here in virginia we have one and can get seedlings for cheap during the winter.i have about 20persimmon and crabapple to plasnt as sson as leaves drop.the bears here ride the sasafras over and eat the leaves and all off the trees.the largest sass tree i have ever seen was only about 12 inches in diameter.most are just 6inches and about 20feet tall.


There's a state nursery in OK, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't ever offer sassafras seedlings (leastwise, it hasn't in the 3 yrs I've been checking). For some strange reason, the tree's virtues aren't properly appreciated around here.... must be a coffee drinker's conspiracy or something. Heck, you'd at least think that HUNTERS would want to encourage them, to attract deer.

I'm up to my ears in persimmons, myself. They'd been reseeding freely from some larger fenceline trees (before I moved onto the place). I'd guess I've got better than a thousand wild seedlings & several dozen bearing age trees, flanking the house on several sides. I'm planning to thin them out into an orchard, and run turkeys under them. Anybody want seeds?

Crabapples would be nice.... I recall eating them as a kid. Tart, but nice flavor. I'll have to look into getting some also.


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## kenuchelover (Sep 29, 2005)

millipede said:


> I was thinking you could grow them from roots. I'm way up in Northwest Arkansas, if you felt like driving that far you could probably find a few young trees you could dig up. I have a TON of sassafrass here. Perhaps if it isn't raining tomorrow I'll go looking to see if there's any seeds out there. I'll let you know if I find anything.


Yes, roots are the surest method, but more work to dig & costlier to ship (i.e., too much of an imposition to have somebody do for me long distance), which is why I was hoping for seed. Eh, worst to worst, I'll dig some roots when I visit my aunt..... the problem there is it's in the OK Ozarks, VERY rocky soil & takes better than 15-25 minutes of sweating with a pickaxe to get a single root. Hm, she's real close to the AR line..... what's your soil like? Going most of the way there already just to get to her, it might be possible to continue over into AR for some sassafras. (What county are you in..... I've some family connections over in Crawford.)

Thanks, I appreciate your looking for seeds.


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## ann (Jun 17, 2006)

I'll look on my trees and see. There are also some in the borrow pit at work. I'll look there too and see if they have any.


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## millipede (May 28, 2006)

Hey, sorry I haven't responded sooner. I checked high and low, and I didn't find any seeds anywhere.

From what I understand, and correct me if I'm wrong or using the wrong words, but sassafrass propogates well buy suckers, I think... I forget if that's the term... but basically new trees will grow from the roots that are already there. That could be why there so many in a few spots in my yard. 
I have quite a few of different sizes, including some really young ones. I imagine some of the young ones are just that, new trees from old roots. 
Our soil is quite rocky as well, but I wouldn't mind digging a few up for you. Name a height and I'm sure I could find a few. I'm not sure how well they survive when dug up, but worst case you'd have the root to still use.
I'm up in Benton County, just two counties north of Crawford County. If you do happen this way I'm sure I could meet you somewhere... it would have to be on a weekend though.
Let me know what you think.


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## shadowwalker (Mar 5, 2004)

I got mine from Flying Pig nursery. Good company good prices


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

I'm near Porter, pure sand land, and I have a few Sassafras trees not yet cut down. 

I'll look to see if there are seeds, but if you are into digging roots it will be easier here than in Arkansas rock.
Ox

PS: Sassafras wood burns like gasoline.


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## ann (Jun 17, 2006)

Sorry, I've looked all over and never saw any seeds. I'd be glad to dig some for ya, just let me know. Wouldn't be hard, I'd just hop on the backhoe one day during lunch or something.


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## Zebraman (Aug 11, 2006)

Hey Guys;Anytime I'm looking for anything unusual I always go here first
http://www.b-and-t-world-seeds.com/ As they have more than 30,000 plant species or varieties in the world's most extensive commercial seed catalog.-


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## Hears The Water (Aug 2, 2002)

I thought of your request the other day when the kids and I where coming home down a back road and saw a stand of Sassafras. I pulled over and we looked but there where no seeds for you....sorry! Hope you find some!
God bless you and yours
Debbie


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## canadianmandy (Nov 11, 2005)

Hi,

My mom collected some Sassafras seeds! Would you have seeds to trade her?

She didn't collect a whole bunch but will trade 10,
feel free to pm me

Mandy


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

I scaled in a sassafrass log today!! BOY HOWDY!!
10 foot long, the stump end was 24 inches and the small end was 22".There were a couple bad spots in it so it was scaled at 20". 160 board foot in that one log. :dance: I've got dibs on the lumber. :dance:


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## shadowwalker (Mar 5, 2004)

Why can't sasafrass be propagated? I'm propagating alot of different trees and bushes. So far I have got everything to grow. I will try my sasafrass and see.


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## vicker (Jul 11, 2003)

If you find sassafrass growing, you often find many propogations coming up from the roots. I use them to make tea, but you could easily use them to grow a large tree. In my experience (particularly in fence rows) they spread from their roots. Go out in the spring or early summer and dig around some of the young shoots, cut them off and transplant them.


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## comfortablynumb (Nov 18, 2003)

sasafrass can be grown from a root-cutting, or a severed root-shoot. do it when the tree is dormant in early spring.

this is the easiest and most productive way to do it. I have transplanted many many this way.


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## rickd203 (Sep 11, 2005)

They are common around here. There's too many for the deer to get them all. Unfortunately, most of the leaves are off the trees so I have a hard time telling which trees are sassafras. I did find a guy on ebay selling seedlings. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7729118197&category=42355

If you do get some, you will probably have to cover them with deer netting until they are about 10' to 12' tall.


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