Sassafras albidum typically produces three shapes of leaves often found on the same tree: ovate, mitten shaped, and three-lobed. Four and five-lobed leaves are rare, but do occur. There’s a trail here in Springs (eastern Long Island) where we’ve found a group of small trees in close proximity consistently producing four and (mostly) five lobed leaves. This picture is from this year’s batch, photographed on the ground a few days ago.
You made me smile with this one. I don’t see Sassafras trees these days but there must be some planted in yards somewhere around here! Those trees were a magnet for me for years – I loved studying the leaves and finding one, two, and three-lobed ones. I never saw a five-lobed leaf! For a time in the 70s I drank Sassafras tea, too. Pungent!
Long ago, at a tag sale in suburban CT or somewhere like that, I found a journal/diary from 1943 that was filled with perfectly preserved 4 and 5-leaved clovers. There are brief notations about photos taken around NYC in it. A precious find.
That tea, which used to be so fun to make, is now on the “avoid” list. That’s such a sweet story about your decades-old find at a tag sale: four and five leaved clovers and the WW2-era photos. Thanks Lynn!
Right, even then I knew it wasn’t safe to drink it in excess but I’m not one to do too many things in excess. Just maybe make photos, drink espresso (no, even that I do in moderation), and think. 😉
JOHN TODARO PHOTOGRAPHY 
Sassafras albidum typically produces three shapes of leaves often found on the same tree: ovate, mitten shaped, and three-lobed. Four and five-lobed leaves are rare, but do occur. There’s a trail here in Springs (eastern Long Island) where we’ve found a group of small trees in close proximity consistently producing four and (mostly) five lobed leaves. This picture is from this year’s batch, photographed on the ground a few days ago.
A beauty! “John Miró.”
Thanks Ed! ⭐
You made me smile with this one. I don’t see Sassafras trees these days but there must be some planted in yards somewhere around here! Those trees were a magnet for me for years – I loved studying the leaves and finding one, two, and three-lobed ones. I never saw a five-lobed leaf! For a time in the 70s I drank Sassafras tea, too. Pungent!
Long ago, at a tag sale in suburban CT or somewhere like that, I found a journal/diary from 1943 that was filled with perfectly preserved 4 and 5-leaved clovers. There are brief notations about photos taken around NYC in it. A precious find.
That tea, which used to be so fun to make, is now on the “avoid” list. That’s such a sweet story about your decades-old find at a tag sale: four and five leaved clovers and the WW2-era photos. Thanks Lynn!
Right, even then I knew it wasn’t safe to drink it in excess but I’m not one to do too many things in excess. Just maybe make photos, drink espresso (no, even that I do in moderation), and think. 😉
😊