Yes, it must be Sassafras. It will be easy enough to verify once it leafs out. The habitat (mixed pine/hardwood) is too dry to be spicebush. Thank you all for your help!

olreader, Oh, you're talking about Diospyros virginiana (Amercian, Eastern, Common,...). My mind had gone straight to Diospyros texana (Texas, Mexican, Black), which seems the more familiar "wild" persimmon used here; a smaller tree with much smoother bark. After looking at photos of the leaves, flowers, and bark of d. virginiana, am pretty certain you are right. We're on the western edge of their southern distribution, so is even possible they are natives. The following photo shows the alternate leaves and smooth margins a bit better. nel5397, Seems you got it right on the first guess.... it was just the other North American wild persimmon :-) A beautiful tree we don't run into that often in neighborhoods around here. Thanks to all for the help! Here is a link that might be useful: Common persimmon factsheet (VT) This post was edited by bostedo on Fri, May 9, 14 at 14:05

they look like little bees or jellow jackets to me. either way they are good, because they are helping pollinate the flowers.

Spectaluar tree. There is also a double flower one, peony like, which is rarely mentioned. Please take note.