Sassafras - Ecology

Ecology

Most of the Lauraceae are aromatic, evergreen trees or shrubs adapted to high rainfall and humidity. But the Sassafras genus and one or two other genera in Lauraceae are deciduous. It is a phenomenon of divergent evolution from the large evergreen trees, to occupy another ecological niche.

Deciduous sassafras trees lose all of their leaves for part of the year, depending on variations in rainfall. In deciduous tropical Lauraceae, leaf loss coincides with the dry season in tropical, subtropical and arid regions. In temperate climates, the dry season is due to the inability of the plant to absorb water available to it only in the form of ice.

Sassafras is commonly found in open woods, along fences, or in fields. It grows well in moist, well-drained, or sandy loam soils and tolerates a variety of soil types, attaining a maximum in southern and wetter areas of distribution.

In Sassafras, the dispersal of seeds is due to birds that swallow them, so the berries' shape is attractive to birds. The fruits are an important food source for birds.