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03/27/2023Ashland covered bridge closed for DelDOT repairs. Find an alternate route.Details

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Mt. Cuba Center view of the West Slope Path
Explore the Gardens Virtual Tour Virtual Tour
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Gardens open on Saturday, April 1. Plan your visit today!

Mt. Cuba Center view of the West Slope Path
Explore the Gardens Virtual Tour Virtual Tour
HOURS

Gardens open on Saturday, April 1. Plan your visit today!

Mt. Cuba Center view of the West Slope Path
Explore the Gardens Virtual Tour Virtual Tour
HOURS

Gardens open on Saturday, April 1. Plan your visit today!

Mt. Cuba Center view of the West Slope Path
Explore the Gardens Virtual Tour Virtual Tour
HOURS

Gardens open on Saturday, April 1. Plan your visit today!

Explore the Gardens Virtual Tour Virtual Tour
HOURS

Gardens open on Saturday, April 1. Plan your visit today!

03/27/2023
Ashland covered bridge closed for DelDOT repairs. Find an alternate route.

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Mt Cuba Center
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Sassafras albidum

Native Plants

Common Sassafras

4 Photos


Summary

Everything that a tree can provide for people and wildlife alike can be found in common sassafras. It presents a wonderful texture in the garden with its large, multi-formed leaves, deeply furrowed, mahogany colored bark and horizontally layered branching pattern. Not only does this tree have a sweet and fruity aroma in its leaves, twigs and flowers, but the brilliant autumnal colors of the leaves create a spectacular show, turning hues of scarlet, orange and yellow. Common sassafras typically reaches 30-40’ tall and does best in sunny areas with well drained soils, but can also tolerate some shade. Plant it with Viburnum acerifolium, Hamamelis virginiana, Vaccinium angustifolium, Carex pensylvanica, Deschampsia flexuosa, and Gaultheria procumbens.


More Details

  • Plant Type
    tree 
  • Sun/Shade Conditions
    filtered-shade, full-sun 
  • Foliage Character
    deciduous 
  • Soil Moisture
    average, dry, moist 
  • Flowering Period
    early-spring
  • Soil PH
    adaptable 
  • Flower Color
    yellow 
  • Summer Foliage Color
    green 
  • Fall Foliage Color
    green, orange, red, yellow 
  • Fruit/Seed Color
    blue-black