I am trying to find a source for sarsaparilla for us to grow - We are
in Southern Mississippi... we love root beer, and my sister has started
making teas with what she finds at the herb shops, but we want to grow
it, not buy it in bulk...

I have searched Burpee's, and done google searches looking for a
source... does anyone have ideas on where to obtain some?

"Bear Drummer" wrote in message
ups.com...
I am trying to find a source for sarsaparilla for us to grow - We are
in Southern Mississippi... we love root beer, and my sister has started
making teas with what she finds at the herb shops, but we want to grow
it, not buy it in bulk...

I have searched Burpee's, and done google searches looking for a
source... does anyone have ideas on where to obtain some?

When I was a young boy, we had a terrible storm in Kentucky where we lived.
The wind had blow down many trees including a Sarsaparilla tree. (At least
that's what my grand dad called it) He cut off several of the roots and
boiled them in a large kettle of water and added a lot of sugar. Best root
beer I have ever drank.

I don't know if you can find sarsaparilla herbs, but I have found a
concentrated liquid form in the food stores that can be diluted and brewed
into a good non carbonated drink.

"Bear Drummer" wrote in message
ups.com...
I am trying to find a source for sarsaparilla for us to grow - We are
in Southern Mississippi... we love root beer, and my sister has started
making teas with what she finds at the herb shops, but we want to grow
it, not buy it in bulk...

I have searched Burpee's, and done google searches looking for a
source... does anyone have ideas on where to obtain some?

Think it is frowned upon today as possible carcinogen:
http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b.../Risk/risk.htm
Safrole is the offending ingredient but I see here it is also in black
pepper.
Oh well,
Frank

On 4/28/05 2:02 PM not too long ago, Bear Drummer attempted to enlighten
me, thusly:
I am trying to find a source for sarsaparilla for us to grow - We are
in Southern Mississippi... we love root beer, and my sister has
started making teas with what she finds at the herb shops, but we want
to grow it, not buy it in bulk...

I have searched Burpee's, and done google searches looking for a
source... does anyone have ideas on where to obtain some?


You are looking for the wrong thing, I believe. Sarsaparilla is a vine
and not really used to make root beer. You are most likely thinking of
the Sassafras tree whose roots are used to make "root" beer. In your
searches did you find this?:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_354.html

Bear Drummer wrote:

I am trying to find a source for sarsaparilla for us to grow - We are
in Southern Mississippi... we love root beer, and my sister has started
making teas with what she finds at the herb shops, but we want to grow
it, not buy it in bulk...

I have searched Burpee's, and done google searches looking for a
source... does anyone have ideas on where to obtain some?

Sarsaparilla is an extract from the roots of Smilax officinalis.
Its use in root beer was for the foam (head) it creates, not for
its flavoring.

You want either sasparilla (different from sarsaparilla) or
sassafras, each of which (or together in combination) have been
used to FLAVOR root beer. Sasparilla is extracted from the roots
of Aralia nudicaulis, a perennial. Sassafras is extracted from the
roots of Sassafras officinale or Sassafras albidum, both of which
are trees.

Sarsaparilla, sasparilla, and sassafras are all toxic in
significant quantities. Thus, care should be taken in how strong
you make your root beer and how much you drink in a day.

Producers of illegal drugs use safrole and isosafrole, derived from
the oil of sassafras root bark, as a precursor in the manufacture
of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (known as MDMA, ecstasy, XTC, and
Adam). The use of sassafras as a flavoring was banned by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration in 1960 after safrole was found to be
hepatocarcinogenic (liver-cancer-causing) in the rat.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at URL:http://www.rossde.com/garden/

In article , says...
Sassafras is extracted from the
roots of Sassafras officinale or Sassafras albidum, both of which
are trees.

And the bark, although weaker flavored, is also sometimes used.

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

In article , says...
The use of sassafras as a flavoring was banned by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration in 1960 after safrole was found to be
hepatocarcinogenic (liver-cancer-causing) in the rat.

In verrry large doses.

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

"Bear Drummer" wrote in message
ups.com...
I am trying to find a source for sarsaparilla for us to grow - We are
in Southern Mississippi... we love root beer, and my sister has started
making teas with what she finds at the herb shops, but we want to grow
it, not buy it in bulk...

I have searched Burpee's, and done google searches looking for a
source... does anyone have ideas on where to obtain some?

that would be the sassafras tree. And you'd have to boil the whole damn
thing to get a toxic ticturn. And the person saying there was something at
the store, is speaking of the bottled concentrate (it's not THAT strong) is
called "Pappy Sassafras" and it's safe to use. I would suspect living in
Mississippi youi have it growing in the woods and just don't know it. Ask an
older person. They'll point out the palmate leaves and you can dig up a
sapling. I have six of them given me by the southern fairies and will
encourage them to grow as they are also beautiful trees in the fall.
madgardener

"madgardener" wrote in message
...

"Bear Drummer" wrote in message
ups.com...
I am trying to find a source for sarsaparilla for us to grow - We are
in Southern Mississippi... we love root beer, and my sister has started
making teas with what she finds at the herb shops, but we want to grow
it, not buy it in bulk...

I have searched Burpee's, and done google searches looking for a
source... does anyone have ideas on where to obtain some?

that would be the sassafras tree. And you'd have to boil the whole damn
thing to get a toxic ticturn. And the person saying there was something
at
the store, is speaking of the bottled concentrate (it's not THAT strong)
is
called "Pappy Sassafras" and it's safe to use. I would suspect living in
Mississippi youi have it growing in the woods and just don't know it. Ask
an
older person. They'll point out the palmate leaves and you can dig up a
sapling. I have six of them given me by the southern fairies and will
encourage them to grow as they are also beautiful trees in the fall.
madgardener

The Root Beer Concentrate I wrote about is called just that "Root Beer
Concentrate"
It is from McCormick.

A 2.0 Ounce bottle of concentrate will make 5 Gallons of Root Beer. That
seems pretty strong to me!

A URL for this product may be found at:

http://www.mccormick.com/productdetail.cfm?id=6033

Anyone who has ever pulled up a sassafras sapling knows instantly that the
roots smell exactly like root beer......They grow like weeds in the woods of
the Southeast. However, I didn't know this until I started clearing some
underbrush from the woods behind my house in north Florida.

In article , says...
I would suspect living in
Mississippi youi have it growing in the woods and just don't know it. Ask an
older person. They'll point out the palmate leaves and you can dig up a
sapling.

We never dug up a whole tree. Just find a decent size tree and dig up
one of the smaller roots. IIRC, an inch of root will make a pot of tea.



--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

therein lies the problem... I don't know anyone who knows.... it does
make it difficult to locate...

"Bear Drummer" wrote in message
ps.com...
therein lies the problem... I don't know anyone who knows.... it does
make it difficult to locate...

You may buy a Sassafras tree from Nature Hills Nursery. The price for a 4'
tree is $21.95 + delivery.

Copy the URL below into your browser for more details.




http://www.naturehills.com/new/product/productdetails.aspx?proname=Sassafras+Tree&ovchn=G GL&ovcpn=Trees&ovcrn=sasafras+tree&ovtac=PPC

In article om,
says...
therein lies the problem... I don't know anyone who knows.... it does
make it difficult to locate...


1. Go to local library
2. Find botany section.
3. Copy picture of sassafras tree/leaves.
4. Good hunting!

OTOH, if you live where sassafras doesn't grow, make friends with a
rebel, you damyankee :-).

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

lgb expounded:

OTOH, if you live where sassafras doesn't grow, make friends with a
rebel, you damyankee :-).

We're yankees up here, fer sher, and we've got plenty of sassafras
growing around here...
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************