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Sassafras


Sassafras
Photo Information
Copyright: Ron Warner (tuslaw) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 183 W: 7 N: 441] (1412)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-05-29
Categories: Trees
Exposure: f/2.8, 1/200 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-06-04 15:07
Viewed: 313
Points: 8
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Sassafras tree is the only tree that I know of that has three different distinct looking leaves. They have a three lobed leaf, a glove or mitten shaped leaf and an elliptical leaf, If you look closely the mitten shaped one is in the right top corner of this photo.

The tree is known for it's strong aroma, which smells like the old root-beer candy you could get as a kid. The roots are sometimes chewed like chewing tobacco in order to get this flavorful taste. You can also seep the roots in hot water, which makes a great tasting tea. Just beware that a little goes a long way, it takes very little root fiber to make a lot of tea.

Early explorers and colonists thought the aromatic root bark was a cure-all for many diseases, and thus shipped large quantities back to Europe. The oil from the root and bark was also used to flavor root-beer.

In the fall when hiking in the woods, I can never ignore the temptation to break a very small portion of sassafras root and chew on it for a while.
marhowie, eqshannon, writerscrawlz, jpdenk has marked this note useful
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To jpdenk: Sassafrastuslaw 1 06-07 09:16
To writerscrawlz: Sassafrastuslaw 1 06-05 20:05
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Critiques [Translate]

Excellent color, and the soft light has produced a nice even exposure Ron.
Interesting note on the Sassafras, I did not know they sported three distinct shapes in their leaves..Learned something new today :)
Well done & TFS!
Howard

Are you sure you're not related to me and hiding it?;-) I remember all of this as though I had just awakened from a dream...a dream in which I got much older and moved 3000 miles away.....and now all of a sudden, here comes this feller out of nowhere...who knows all of my past natural history and lives ...and smells today those same smells and those same sights....Ron..You amaze me. A while back you mentioned it would not be surprising if we hadn't crossed paths sometimes many years ago...I am staring to think that there is a lot of truth in that....perhaps more than we shall know...oh yes..and by the way.. a lovely picture and a lovely memory once more...You are indeed my quiet voice of times past...
Bob

Ah, rootbeer, one of my favorite drinks. I think I'd like to chew on these leaves for a bit. I love the distinct leaves that you spoke of; I can easily see them - and never realized a tree could produce such a variety of leaves. I like your notes and am a bit envious that I can't have a bite of these as well!

The color and sharpness helps me define each leaf so I can tell the difference. The exposure is dead on and I love the lighting. This capture is lovely - thank you for posting it.

Hi Ron,

Nice shot showing the 3 different leaf shapes, although the "mitten" one is just a bit hard to see. I've always wondered why this species evolved that way with 3 different leaf shapes. That's a species that is fairly uncommon here unless you get into a sandy-soil area, where it can be abundant. I've always wanted to try making real root beer with the roots from this plant, but it's protected here, so I have to be happy with just looking and occasionally crumbling up a leaf and smelling that great aroma.

Excellent note too!

Thanks,
John

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