Sassafras
Sassafras albidum
- Brilliant display of fall foliage changing to colors of deep orange, scarlet, purple and yellow in the fall
- Produces wonderful aromatic smell
- Grows to 30' to 60' tall with 25' to 40' spread
- Zones 4 to 9
- Can't Ship To: AK, AZ, HI

Zones 4 - 9
The Sassafras can be expected to grow in the zones shown in color in the arborday.org zone map.VIEW MAP

ornamental tree
The Sassafras falls into the following type(s): Ornamental Trees, Shade Trees

30' - 60' High
The Sassafras grows to be 30' - 60' feet in height.

25' - 40' Spread
The Sassafras has a spread of about 25' - 40' at full maturity.

Slow Growth
This tree grows at a slow growth rate. [More about this.]

Multiple Exposures
This Sassafras does well in full sun, partial shade.

Various Soils
acid, moist, wet, well drained, loam, some drought and salt tolerance

rounded Shape
This Sassafras has rounded shape.

More Info
Moisture:
well drained
A captivating, native North American tree known for its brilliant display of fall foliage and aromatic smell. Leaves are 3"-7" long and bright to medium green in summer changing to enchanting colors of deep orange, scarlet, purple and yellow in the fall.
| Spring Shipping | Fall Shipping | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color | Zone |
Approximate Ship Dates |
Order Deadline |
Approximate Ship Dates |
Order Deadline |
| 2 | 04/15–05/30 | 05/14 | 11/01–11/26 | 11/12 | |
| 3 | 04/15–05/30 | 05/14 | 11/01–11/26 | 11/12 | |
| 4 | 04/15–05/30 | 05/14 | 11/01–11/26 | 11/12 | |
| 5 | 04/15–05/30 | 05/14 | 11/01–11/26 | 11/12 | |
| 6 | 03/19–05/12 | 05/07 | 11/01–12/03 | 11/19 | |
| 7 | 03/11–05/07 | 04/30 | 11/05–12/10 | 11/26 | |
| 8 | 02/26–04/30 | 04/23 | 11/05–12/10 | 11/26 | |
| 9 | 02/26–04/30 | 04/23 | 11/05–12/10 | 11/26 | |
| 10 | 02/26–04/30 | 04/23 | 11/05–12/10 | 11/26 | |
When you order trees from The Arbor Day Foundation, your order is guaranteed to arrive in a good, healthy condition or we'll replace them at no charge. Your trees will be shipped at a suitable time for planting.
Each tree is guaranteed to grow, or we'll replace it at one half the original price, plus shipping and handling.
The benefits of bare-root trees
Our trees are delivered with natural bare roots which have been dipped in hydrating gel prior to shipment to keep the roots moist and healthy. As their abundant, fibrous roots aren't confined by a container, bare-root trees get off to a more vigorous start compared to containerized roots which typically need more time to adjust to transplanting. Bare-root trees typically surpass the size of larger containerized trees in only a few years.


Natural root (also called bare root) trees are shipped without soil around their roots. They are shipped when dormant in the spring and fall seasons. We dip the roots in a hydrating gel to keep them moist during shipping.
Potted (also called containerized) trees come in 4" containers.