Sasafrass suckers from the roots so, when I see it growing wild along the roadsides and fences here, sometimes there's several short plants growing close to each other rather than a big tree by itself. I think it gets mowed and then grows back. So if you're driving around country roads, watch for shorter "trees" too. Here is a link that might be useful: Google images - sasafrass leaves

The only two nurseries I know of that carry sassafras are Mail Order Natives and Woodlander's, but if you Google sassafras albidum you'll probably find more nurseries. Both nurseries send small plants, which I usually pot up and "baby" first until they get some size on them. When I plant real small plants in my woods, they frequently get completely dug up by armadilloes and/or squirrels - the critters can't manage to dig up the bigger plants with their bigger root systems. I vaguely remember digging up a small sassafras plant on my property one time and potting it up. It died - I don't know if it died, because I dug up a root runner that didn't have enough good roots on its own or if I overwatered it. Sassafras has to have well drained soil, and growing that type of plant in a container is difficult for me - I forget and water it as much as I do other plants. I don't remember seeing sassafras growing naturally in Gulfport when I lived there, but then it was all so suburban/changed, that it might grow in the few wooded areas left there. If I were you, I'd order it from one of the two nurseries I mentioned and be careful not to overwater it. If your property is safe from critters, then you could go ahead and plant it in a well drained spot while it's small. If you've got rampaging critters, you could wait until it gets some size on it and fills out at least a gallon container with roots before planting it in your yard. Once your sassafras becomes established, it'll start colonizing/coming up all around the original planting, so you'll have plenty of it. I can dig up some little bitty ones that appear to have come up from seed, pot them up, and if they thrive, I can let you know, and you can come and get them if you'd like. For what it's worth, camphor trees/cinammomum camphora grow well and abundantly on the Coast, and they're reportedly used by spicebush swallowtails in Florida and Texas - our Mississippi spicebush swallowtails might use them, too. They're not native, but they don't appear to be invasive on the Coast, so I think they're safe. MissSherry Here is a link that might be useful: Woodlander's Sassafras

Thanks for the info Geoforce. I actualy found a picture of a seed pod for this plant. I went out and looked to see if I could find on, green or dried. I am not sure what time of year they are still on the plant. I am thinking of going ahead and trying to take cuttings, and try to root them for plants for spring. Nothing to loose. I am also considering trying to add soil and nutrients around the young suckers, kind of a modified layering atttempt. Maybe by spring the young plants will be strong enough to move and live as a single tree. Dan

Mine have some degree of shade for most of the day, but some sun. I think that's more important in southcentral Texas where I am. Its natural range in Texas is mostly east Texas where soil is deeper and rain more frequent than where I am. I water mine on a regular basis, because rain isn't that frequent here. And of course, that's more important in the severe drought here. It grows pretty slowly here. It probably will grow better there. Are you familiar with the Spicebush Swallowtail and its caterpillars? The caterpillars are adorable! One problem I had was there were occasionally too many of them. I started with 2 little trees, 2 or 3 gallon size (I forget which)from a native nursery. Then once the butterflies found them, I realized that since there's no other host plants growing wild locally (and I've never heard of anyone around here who grows it other than me), the mama butterflies would just keep laying eggs on my spicebush plants. So I bought a third one, since the foliage would occasionally be about gone on the first two. But...I've never regretted having them. Now if only it were sold in regular nurseries somewhere in the area so the mama butterflies could go lay some of those eggs elsewhere!