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By John Trott
The Virginia Naturalist
of Sassafras Albidum are likely to have lobeless leaves.
Many years ago, long before I thought of moving to the country and giving up the pleasure of suburban McLean, Lee Trott and I drove down for a Sunday visit with Elsa and David Rosenthal of Rectortown.
On a long walk through the fields and hedgerows with the Rosenthals and their neighbors, I saw a large sassafras tree on which all the leaves were the same: lobeless. ‘Papa-’ and ‘Moma-fras’ were absent.
For a time I was confused and couldn’t name the tree. It seemed familiar but something was missing. After smelling a crushed leaf and experiencing the odor of oranges, I thought I knew. Chewing on a green twig is distinctive. It’s sassafras and like no other taste or smell. I would like to see that tree again but have been unable to find it.
On a recent drive from Flint Hill to Marshall, I saw a fine specimen of sassafras. It stood alone beside Route 647; not a big tree, but a wellshaped one. There were a few buttery yellow leaves amidst the velvet-green of summer foliage. Soon the whole tree
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