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Sassafras

Sassafras albidum

Found in a wide variety of forests, old fields, disturbed areas, fencerows. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

71
Strong

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
30–60 feet
Spread
25–40 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 30 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
March to April
Fruiting season
June to July

Recorded in 104 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 158 animals.

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

37CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Sassafras

  • Callosamia prometheaPromethea Moth
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth
  • Papilio troilusSpicebush Swallowtail
  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Acronicta impletaYellow-Haired Dagger
  • Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
  • Archips georgianaFireworm, Georgia Leafroller
  • Archips purpuranaOmnivorous Leafroller Moth
Show all 37
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Callosamia anguliferaTulip-Tree Silkmoth
  • Caloptilia sassafrasellaSassafras Leafminer, Sassafras Caloptilia
  • Citheronia regalisRoyal Walnut Moth, Hickory Horned Devil
  • Epimecis hortariaTulip-Tree Beauty
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Herpetogramma thestealisZigzag Herpetogramma, Subtle-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Hypsoropha hormosSmall Necklace Moth
  • Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
  • Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
  • Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
  • Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
  • Metarranthis hypochrariaCommon Metarranthis
  • Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Pandemis lamprosanaWoodgrain Leafroller
  • Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • Papilio palamedesPalamedes Swallowtail
  • Phaecasiophora niveiguttanaLabyrinth Moth
  • Platynota flavedanaBlack-Shaded Platynota
  • Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Cenopis saracana
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
2BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Sassafras

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
7BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Sassafras

  • Aix sponsaWood Duck
  • Catharus guttatusHermit Thrush
  • Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
  • Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
  • Tyrannus tyrannusEastern Kingbird
  • Vireo flavifronsYellow-throated Vireo
  • Vireo olivaceusRed-eyed Vireo
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Lauraceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–9b
Soil pH
Acidic to neutral
Flower color
Yellow or green
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Single stem
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
June
Fruit ends
July

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

Virginia rankS5
Global rankG5
VA statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Sources