Sassafras

looking for a source. I want whole root and NOT root bark.

Ideas? and b4 anyone mentions it, Sassafras doesnt grow in my neck of the woods

A quick read on the web makes it sound like the root is a controlled substance by the FDA, as the oil is used to make the drug ecstasy. Hence, you'll only find the root bark.

If your looking for flavoring then either the root bark or sasparilla root should do the trick... I find lots of good stuff from Starwest Botanicals..

Good luck,
--LexusChris

I can almost always buy root's at my local Soulard farmers market in STL. I use it for tea and not brewing. If you have a large farmers market I would check there. If you do not have any luck shoot me a PM and I can get you some in the upcoming weeks. I can't imagine MO and WI being that different as far as tree species. good luck

LexusChris said:

A quick read on the web makes it sound like the root is a controlled substance by the FDA, as the oil is used to make the drug ecstasy. Hence, you'll only find the root bark.

If your looking for flavoring then either the root bark or sasparilla root should do the trick... I find lots of good stuff from Starwest Botanicals..

Good luck,
--LexusChris

Click to expand...

The root has been declared "Not for human consumption" because if you consume the equivalent of 50 gallons of sassafras tea every day for a period greater then 50 years it's possible carcinogenic components (safrole) may cause cancer.

Safrole also is used in the making of a component (it's the ingredient of an ingredient) that makes MDMA, but sassafras is not the only source of it, nutmeg for example is a viable source.

BTW I did just buy a tree, but that wont give me viable sustained source for a LONG time. I'll be using sarsaparilla as well, but I still want sassafras.
Yeah that is a nice site, I'm going to be getting a lot of my stuff from there.

geoxman said:

I can almost always buy root's at my local Soulard farmers market in STL. I use it for tea and not brewing. If you have a large farmers market I would check there. If you do not have any luck shoot me a PM and I can get you some in the upcoming weeks. I can't imagine MO and WI being that different as far as tree species. good luck

Click to expand...

Me either but we are out if it's native range
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_2/sassafras/albidum.htm
I may have to just road trip for it