The native Sassafras albidum is a tree full of wonders — scents of cinnamon and citrus from root to bark to tip; whimsical leaves shaped like mittens and tridents and footballs; resplendent in the fall in yellows and oranges and reds. Even just hearing yourself say “sassafras” out loud can be joyful.
The bright yellow-green blooms and emerging leaves of the male of the species, like the one pictured here off Route 6 in Provincetown, are no less wondrous, resembling a tree frog suspended mid-jump or, from another angle, maybe an octopus out for a walk. Sassafras can be found brightening up old fields and roadsides and wildfire scars — all places that could use a little cheer.
