Common Name: Black Sassafras

General Information

Atherosperma moschatum is an evergreen shrub to a tall tree with a long conical crown, becoming more open in older trees; it can grow from 2 - 30 metres tall. The usually straight bole can be up to 75cm in diameter[, ].
The tree yields a good quality timber and is also harvested from the wild as a medicine and to make a tea. It has an attractive form and is often grown as an ornamental in gardens.

Known Hazards

The bark contains a potential carcinogen[]. Another report says that the whole plant might be poisonous[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Australia - New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria

Habitat

Temperate rainforests and moist gullies up to the sub-alpine zone[, , ]. Cool-temperate rainforest, or in the rainforest understorey of wet sclerophyll forest, often with Nothofagus, at elevations from 40 - 1,100 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Atherosperma moschatum is a plant of the warm temperate zone, where it grows at elevations up to 2,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 14 - 20°c, but can tolerate 7 - 24°c[]. When dormant, the plant can survive temperatures down to about 10°c, but young growth can be severely damaged at -1°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,300 - 1,700mm, but tolerates 1,000 - 2,000mm[]. It does not grow well in colder areas of the temperate zone, though given the sheltered conditions of a woodland garden has reached a height of 3 metres tall (flowering annually) at Edinburgh Botanical Gardens (zone 6) and there are trees 6 metres tall in Cornwal (zone 8)l[].
Requires a rich well composted lime-free soil in full sun or semi-shade[]. Equires a position sheltered from cold, drying winds[]. Succeeds in acid and neutral soils[].
Plants come into flower when they are quite young. All parts of the plant are aromatic[, ]. The flowers diffuse a sweet perfume whilst the nuts have a musk-like fragrance similar to nutmegs[].
45 kilos of the bark yielded, in one case, 500g.of the essential oil[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms must be grown if seed is required[].

Edible Uses

A pleasant tasting tea is made from the fresh or dried aromatic bark[, , , ]. A decoction or infusion of the green or dried bark has a pleasant taste, especially when taken with plenty of milk. Its effect is, however, slightly laxative[].
The bark is also used to brew a beer[].

The smell of the inner bark has been likened to new ale, and it is said that a decoction of the bark is a good substitute for yeast in raising bread 601].

Medicinal

The bark contains an agreeable bitter that was of much repute as a tonic amongst early European colonists[].

The inner bark is antiasthmatic, antirheumatic, aperient, cardiac, diaphoretic, diuretic, laxative, tonic. It has been used in the treatment of asthma and other pulmonary affections, but it is known more especially for its sedative action on the heart, and it has been successfully used in some forms of heart disease[]. A powerful poison, it is useful in treating rheumatism, syphilis and bronchitis[, , ].

An essential oil in the bark closely resembles true sassafras (Sassafras albidum) in odour[]. It is sometimes used medicinally, though the whole bark is generally preferred[, ].
Rubbed externally upon the skin it does not, like myrtaceous oils, act as a rubefacient or irritant.[]

Other Uses

An essential oil in the bark closely resembles true sassafras (Sassafras albidum) in odour[]. It is sometimes used medicinally, though the whole bark is generally preferred[, ].
The oil obtained by aqueous distillation from the bark is thin, unctious, pale-yellow when fresh, but becomes yellowish-brown with age. It resembles, in odour, ordinary sassafras oil, with an admixture of oil of caraway. The taste is aromatic, bitter, and prickly to the tongue. In large quantities it must be regarded as a dangerous poison[].
An essential oil obtained from the leaves is quite distinct. It is of a greenish colour, and resembles oil of mace. It requires further examination[].

The heartwood is pale grey to light brown or almost black; it is demarcated from the pale-coloured sapwood. The texture is fine; the grain straight and close; dark wood frequently exhibits a pleasant figure. The wood is fairly soft and not very durable, but very tough. It seasons easily. It is easily worked; bends well; and takes a beautiful polish. It can be used for cabinet making, turnery etc; is very suitable for sash and door work and is said to be peculiarly suitable for the sounding boards of musical instruments. Having a low tannin content, it can be used for clothes pegs, brushes, toys etc. It is much esteemed for shoemakers' lasts, and also for carpenters' bench screws[, , , ].

Propagation

Seed - we have no details for this species but suggest sowing the seed in early spring in a warm greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[].