Hello amosmc, I would love to trade for a bunch of these seeds. Please take a look at my list and pick an array of things you'd like in trade. I like bigger trades, pick a bunch. :) Thanks, and let me know if you're interested... Tina Here is a link that might be useful: My trade list

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

If you already have a short list of that swallowtail's host plants, posting them and your question on the Name That Plant forum may get answers from UK members.