Sassafras is a unique genus of plants often harvested for its natural oils which are then used in tea, perfume, and soap manufacturing. Sassafras trees are native to North America but now have spread all the way down from Maine to Texas. Is it worth cutting for your local sassafras tree for firewood?
While sassafras does provide decent heat, their fire is very short-lived and so it makes poor firewood. It is also quite a dangerous wood high in oil that will cause a fire to pop and spark excessively. This may be prevented with a longer seasoning time, but the oil pockets that cause the popping will remain.
What Are The Varieties Of Sassafras?
There used to be 4 varieties of sassafras as sassafras refers to an entire genus of plants, not just one singular tree. However, that number is now down to 3 since the 4th became extinct
The remaining 3 varieties of sassafras are white sassafras, silky sassafras, and red sassafras.
They may grow in different areas and regions, but all varieties of sassafras have the same qualities when used as firewood.
What Are The Physical Characteristics Of Sassafras?
| Name | Sassafras |
| Heat per cord (Million BTUs) | 19.5 |
| Weight dry (lbs per cord) | 2829 |
| Weight green (lbs per cord) | 3740 |
| Seasoning time | 6 months |
| Resin/ Sap Content | Moderate |
| Splitting Difficulty | Very easy |
| Smoke | Little-Medium |
| Smell | Spicey |
| Coal Production | Poor |
| Creosote Build-up | Little |
Is it Easy To Split?
Sassafras is said to be one of the easiest firewood you will ever split due to its extremely straight grain and soft nature.
You could use a hand ax to split sassafras but if you work with firewood often, you should invest in a hydraulic splitter. It will make splitting any wood a whole lot easier and save you time while processing the wood.
How Much Sap Content Does it Have?
When it comes to sap content, sassafras is in a unique predicament.
It does not have a lot of sap in its wood, but it’s rather oil. This oil is due to the tree’s resin content and runs through both its wood and its bark.
Though the wood will not be overloaded with the oil, it will be as present as the sap is in maple wood.
What Does Sassafras Smell Like?
Sassafras root was once used to make root beer and other treats until studies showed how toxic too much of it can be.
But even now, people associate the smell of root beer with sassafras. Though it mostly has an aromatic scent with spicy undertones.
If you would prefer sweeter-smelling firewood, pick wood with lots of sugar in its sap such as sugar maple.
Heat Output And Efficiency Of Sassafras
Though hardwood, sassafras do not burn as hot as you would expect them to. It can generate as much heat as basswood, with a BTU of 19.5 million per cord of seasoned wood.
While this isn’t an inefficient heat output, it certainly is not as good as most other hardwoods. Especially considering how quickly sassafras tends to burn.
Here you can find more than 160 species of trees and their BTU values.
Fire Characteristics Of Sassafras
The oil that is in both the bark and wood of sassafras will cause its fire to pop and crack a lot. It may look pretty, especially the color flames that it produces.
Sassafras is also a light wood, lacking the density to make it burn for long. Its moderate heat is short-lived.
If you want your sassafras firewood to last longer than an hour or two, you will need to mix it in with other hardwoods. Otherwise, it is good firewood to provide quick heat during the warmer months.
Does Sassafras Burn Clean?
As quick-burning firewood, sassafras will create some level of smoke. However, it does not produce as much creosote as you would expect in a tree with so much oil content.
This is defiantly a bonus for the sassafras firewood as that means you will not have to worry about creosote build-up as regularly when burning sassafras.
That being said, it will create more smoke if you do not properly season sassafras. It needs time to dry out all the oil in its wood and bark before being burnt to prevent excess smoke.
Is It Okay To Burn Sassafras In A Fireplace?
The oil that sassafras produce is very flammable and will catch light extremely quickly. That is not to say that you shouldn’t use sassafras in your fireplace regularly, just be cautious when you set it alight.
Likewise, the oil will make for a sparky fire and is most suitable to be used as kindling to light up denser logs like mesquite or locust.
You should be keeping on top of any creosote, but it is just something to be aware of if you plan to use sassafras in your fireplace.
As for heating purposes, sassafras will work well in a fireplace as they will provide decent heat. But that heat will not last long. You will need to mix it in with other harder woods to make full use of a sassafras heat.
How Long To Season Sassafras?
Despite its oily bark and wood, sassafras will season very quickly. You will only need to leave it to dry for 6-12 months before it is ready to burn.
If you plan on using sassafras as kindling, then splitting it into kindling-sized pieces will make the wood dry out significantly faster.
Pros And Cons Of Sassafras Firewood
Pros:
- Very easy to prepare
- Amazing smell
- Moderate heat
Cons:
- Poor coals
- Sparks
- Short burning time
How Does Sassafras Compare To Other Firewood?
Some people use sassafras as a chestnut substitute as chestnut burns at a lower heat of 18.3 BTUs. But chestnut is a slow-burning wood, unlike sassafras which will not provide a lasting heat.
Sassafras also tends to pop and spark more than other hardwoods due to the high levels of oil-soaked into its bark and wood. For a less dangerous hardwood, you should burn hackberry.
Though sassafras does not have as much oil as pine has sap.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I Use Sassafras For Cooking?
No, sassafras is toxic if indigested. That is why root beer manufacturers stopped using its roots in their products.
What Woods Will Provide A Long Lasting Heat?
If firewood performs weakly, mix some oak, hickory, or ash to improve its burning life and its heat efficiency.
How Often Should I clear creosote from my chimney?
Unless you are burning firewood that is high in sap regularly, you will only need to hire a chimney cleaning service once a year. On the other hand, if you are burning a lot of firewood on a constant basis, you will need to hire a service a few times a year.
Conclusion
Sassafras is poor firewood and will not provide you with a long enough fire to be worth the potential dangers that it presents with its high oil content. Choose a longer-lasting, safer wood instead to burn.
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