Sassafras and Spicebush

These two species are in plant family, Lauraceae, which also includes the red bay and cinnamon. During the colonial period in Virginia, sassafras tea made from the roots and leaves was exported to Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson thought the fruits of spicebush had export potential as a flavoring. The red bay is still widely used as a flavoring and can be found growing in some parts of southeastern Virginia. The fruit of the Lauraceae are eaten by wildlife but not significantly.  For some unknown reason, the fruit is important to birds that primarily eat insects. About 15 species of insects feed on sassafras leaves, including the caterpillars of the spicebush swallowtail butterfly and the Japanese beetle.