Tommy Williams, 81, of Smithdale had a large sassafras tree on his property for as long as he can remember, but he didn’t realize what it was until last year.
“I never thought a lot about it till a green limb fell out and I saw the leaves,” he said.
I can see why. Many of us are familiar with the leaves, which resemble bright green mittens (except they may have one, two or three lobes.) They’re most noticeable when the trees are sprouts or small saplings.
But the bark of the mature tree is less recognizable — pale gray with deep vertical striations.
Tommy (“I’m Tommy, not Mr. Tommy or Mr. Williams” he insists) said his tree has a circumference of 64 inches. As for the height, he estimates it’s “a lot bigger than a 50-foot boxcar.”
He should know since he’s retired from the railroad.
(Tommy didn’t want to be photographed, but his dog Tote filled in to give scale to the tree.)
The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees said sassafras trees can grow 30 to 60 feet tall with a diameter of a foot and a half — about the thickness of Tommy’s.
Historically, sassafras was a flavoring for root beer. It’s also known for tea made from the roots.
However, too much of the tea can be toxic, and in 1976 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of sassafras tea, according to webmd.com.
I used to make and drink sassafras tea back in the day and really enjoyed it. If I suffered any ill effects I never knew it, though I never drank more than a glass.
Ground sassafras leaves also make up Cajun file’ powder, as in file’ gumbo. The leaves don’t contain as much safrole oil (the active ingredient) as the roots, so file’ is considered safe.
Sassafras trees grow throughout the eastern half of the United States. Tommy has several smaller ones growing near his big one.
Mysterious conifer
Tommy also has a large conifer tree that he speculated is either an Eastern hemlock or Carolina hemlock, neither of which naturally grow this far south.
I wasn’t so sure and sent a photo to retired Amite County Forester Earl Alford, who identified it as a Chinese fir.
The tree, which is actually a cypress, is native to China (no surprise there) and was brought to America in the early 1800s.
Like the sassafras, the Chinese fir has been on Tommy’s property as long as he can remember.
The trees can reach 80 feet tall in the South and up to 200 in their native habitat.
Red buckeye
Tommy also has some red buckeye, which have recently been putting up red flowering stems.
The Audubon field guide describes red buckeye as a “shrub or small tree,” able to reach 25 feet in height.
As with the sassafras, most folks only notice them when they’re small and easily identified.
They produce a nut with a smooth, concave surface. The nuts are poisonous to eat, but people like to carry them in their pocket and rub the thumb-size depression for good luck, or at least stress reduction.
Also on Tommy’s place are a big pear tree and a smaller wild plum, which his mother made jelly from.
Both trees are in full bloom, covered with white blossoms.
I think it’s safe to say the fruit from both is non-toxic.
