Sprouts & Seedlings

Sassafras sucker

Sassafras albidum

Root suckers in thickets. Distinctive mitten-shaped leaves; can be hard to transplant.

Sassafras sucker: Seedling — SeedlingPhoto: William J. Deml · CC BY · source

Confirm EVERY point before you move it

Leaves in three shapes on the same plant: oval, one-lobed mitten and three-lobed
Crushed leaf smells citrusy or root-beer-like
Twigs are green and aromatic
Growing in a thicket connected by roots

0 of 4 confirmed. If any point does not match, it is not this plant.

Best time to move

Dormant season.

Habitat

Old fields, edges and disturbed ground.

Parts used

root sucker

Harvest note

Dig only suckers from a thicket, not the parent.

Transplanting

Best window

Dormant season

Transplant shock risk

high

Root type

spreading roots, suckering

Site

Full sun, well-drained soil

Method

Sever the root connection ahead of time if possible; dig with as much root as possible.

Notes

Expect losses; will sucker into a colony.

Educational reference only. Never eat a wild plant or mushroom based on a website or app. Confirm with an experienced forager, your local extension office, or a mycological club. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 for severe symptoms.