Thursday, July 20, 2017

Thursday Tree Love - Sassafras

Trees are important in our lives for so many reasons.  Not just for shade, not just for their beauty, or the wood they provide for our houses and fuel, or the fruit that grows on them.

Have you ever heard of the sassafras?

Here's one in Binghamton, New York.

The sassafras is a small tree or large shrub - use whichever term you prefer.  We had several on the property in Arkansas we lived on many years ago.  You can tell the tree by its distinctive leaves, some of which look like mittens and some have three "fingers"- and, if you dig up a root, it smells just like root beer (which, at least most times, is a non alcoholic drink with a distinctive taste).


That isn't by accident.  At one time, root beer came from an extract of sassafras, but one of the chemicals in the root, safrole, is known to be a carcinogen in animals.  In days past, many used to drink a spring tonic type tea made from the roots or bark.  

I love root beer.

Medicinal uses.  The flavoring (at one time) of root beer.  What is there not to like?

Join Parul of Happiness and Food and other bloggers from all over the world at #ThursdayTreeLove - simply post a picture of a tree and visit the other bloggers participating.

Day 19 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost

15 comments:

  1. My son Charlie loves Root Beer as does David so this will be a fun post to share with them and a tip he can share with his teacher when he returns to school. Have a Blessed day.

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  2. I do not think I have ever seen a sassafras tree. Thanks for sharing.

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  3. Interesting facts. I haven't heard of this name before, maybe I would recognise it with it's local name here.

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  4. And, today, maybe we can hide under it and get some relief from the triple digits!

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  5. I wasn't aware about this tree and the medicinal value. This is an informative piece

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  6. Trees are life savers and Thursday tree love bloghop sounds eco friendly I've terrace garden at my home and my trees are add life to my home environment

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  7. It was fascinating to read about a sassafras tree and beer-- would have never thought of a connection between the two!

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  8. Huge root beer drinkers here. And I do mean huge! ;) Now have one more reason to love trees!

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  9. Such an interesting story with the tree. I had no idea that root beer was made from this plant once upon a time! ThursdayTreeLove

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  10. Besides seeing some beautiful trees, I'm learning information on them! I love root beer also! Thanks for hooking me up to the Tree Lover hop!

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  11. I had heard of sassafras, but I couldn't identify one if I tripped over it.

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  12. This is an interesting and informative post, Alana. Am intrigued by the mitten like and three-finger type leaves. And root beer... that's fascinating too. Thanks for sharing :)

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  13. Does this tree grow in New Jersey? I would love to be able to identify it when I visit again in September.

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  14. I had heard about Sassafras but never seen one. The info about root beer is interesting indeed! Thanks :)

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