Does anyone here burn Sassafras? I have a fair amount on my property, so I usually have a few very small trees I end up cutting if they're in the way, and it ends up mixing in with the other wood. I usually end up using it for starters mixed with maple and beech limb wood. For a few years I've been working around a clump of 3 good sized Sassafras trees and now they're in the way so I may drop them. It would be a decent amount of wood, maybe a cord or a bit more when all processed. It's a light wood, and almost splits itself. The bark on it ignites very quickly and I'm not sure how a stove full of just Sassafras would burn...I'm thinking hot and quick? I'm curious if anyone else burns it in their wood stove. As an aside, is there another use besides burning? I think boat makers use it for trim and paddles but not sure. If it's not great for burning I wonder if I should cut it to log length and try to find someone who wants it for woodworking?
Sassafras
- Thread starter MJFlores
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You're right it would burn on the faster side, pop somewhat due to moisture pockets and throw medium heat, but it burns, and smells nice too especially when fresh. Don't know about any other uses but I'm sure someone else here does and will chime in soon.
USMC80
Minister of Fire
I burn sass. Been using it for shoulder season. Pack it in tight and able to turn stove down all the way in minutes. when its in the upper 40s i can get 12 hour burns with sass
shoot-straight
Minister of Fire
shoot-straight
Minister of Fire
USMC80
Minister of Fire
Clyde S. Dale
Feeling the Heat
I love sass for the shoulder season. IME it does not leave a lot of ash either. Smells great when splitting too!!
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
Burn it, no ill effects from Sass, just good on the olfactory. 
BobUrban
Minister of Fire
I love sassafras - but have never burned any. I like the 3 different leaves(only tree in Michigan that has that) and I like to chew on the leaf stems and small green twigs when I am in the woods. Makes great tea as well. If I had it I would burn it. If the saw touches it - it goes in the stacks. Even if it is a junk tree I am cutting to make an easier path to some good stuff.
Paulywalnut
Minister of Fire
I like to split it up for kindling. Smells great and the leaves taste good to chew on.
Gboutdoors
Burning Hunk
1+ on using it for kindling it does split easy and burns good. It lasts for years dead on the ground and does not rot fast. I will also burn some large splits when starting a fire as the yard and woods smell great with it burning.
I always thought of sass as a bush as that's all we saw as kids in the woods. Then we bought our forest land to build on and it has many very large sass trees and a few had to come down to clear the house lot. The wood cutter said they burn good and left me a few to split and try.
I always thought of sass as a bush as that's all we saw as kids in the woods. Then we bought our forest land to build on and it has many very large sass trees and a few had to come down to clear the house lot. The wood cutter said they burn good and left me a few to split and try.
I've heard it seasons very quickly, is this true?
Another use for sassy wood: smoking meats, fish, cheeses, etc. My father-in-law does a lot of smoking and doesn't use anything but sassafras and I even offered him hickory, cherry, apple, and sugar maple!
Another use for sassy wood: smoking meats, fish, cheeses, etc. My father-in-law does a lot of smoking and doesn't use anything but sassafras and I even offered him hickory, cherry, apple, and sugar maple!
Soundchasm
Minister of Fire
When we would visit KY as kids, one of our "jobs" was to come back with the roots from small trees and we would make tea from them. I remember it being delicious.
osagebow
Minister of Fire
I let the kids split the smaller stuff. Makes straight, rot resistant stack "stringer" poles also.
Knots
Minister of Fire
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
One of my favorites just because I love to smell it when cutting and splitting. Not good wood for overnight burning but great for fall/spring burning when you want a quick hot fire or during daytime in winter.
As for other uses, we have many times used sassafras for posts and used them without treating them. They will last usually around 10 year or a bit more that way. Dunk the bottoms in oil or something similar (or creosote) and they will last a long time.
Part of the problem though with sassafras is finding straight ones. Around here the tend to grow really crooked.
One more thing is that they are one of the most beautiful trees in the fall of the year. Great colors.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
How quickly? I've had about half a cord cut, split, and stacked uncovered for the last three months. I'm scrounging a few weeks worth of wood at a time(not too hard cause I've got the property for it) but I was wondering how soon I'll be able to burn that sassy.
Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
I don't think I've ever burned it in less than a year after splitting and stacking. You might get away with a little less. But for sure you need to look further ahead on your wood supply. Try the best you can for the 3 year plan, even if it takes you 3 or 4 years to get there. The benefits of doing this are fantastic and is better than money in the bank.
USMC80
Minister of Fire
You might want to give that habit a miss. Sassafras teas and extracts (except root, which don't contain the problem chemical) were banned in foods decades ago. It causes liver damage and can cause cancer.
TE
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