Sassafras Pollen Color, Bloom Season and Bee Forage

Visual guideSassafras pollen

Photo: USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab · Public domain

Plant Facts

SeasonSpring

USDA Zone4 - 9

Plant TypeTree

ForagePollen and nectar

Pollen ValueMedium

Nectar ValueLow

Color FamilyOrange and amber

Scientific NameSassafras albidum

Common NamesSassafras, White sassafras

Native RegionsEastern United States, Southern Ontario

Range StatusNative to eastern North America.

Color ConfidenceLow

Color MethodThe pollen-library record reports yellow for Sassafras spp. rather than explicitly for Sassafras albidum; the species-targeted swatch is therefore retained at low confidence.

Reviewed2026-10-11

Quick Answer

Sassafras pollen is shown in this guide as an orange and amber tone. It is listed as tree, associated with spring bloom timing, USDA zone 4 - 9, and pollen and nectar forage value.

Pollen Color Notes

The visual color shown for Sassafras is grouped broadly with orange and amber pollen tones. It is intended for comparison and identification support, not as a laboratory measurement.

Pollen color is highly variable. Lighting, pollen age, moisture, collection method, cultivar, and local growing conditions can all change how pollen appears. Use this as general visual guidance, not a scientific color standard or guaranteed field match.

Bloom, Zone, and Forage Context

Sassafras is listed for spring. The record lists USDA zone 4 - 9; hardiness zones are planning context, not a precise flowering calendar. Approximate bloom months in the supplemental notes: April, May.

Its forage type is pollen and nectar, with pollen value marked as medium and nectar value marked as low. Male trees can provide useful early pollen, while both flower sex and local tree density affect forage availability.

Identification Notes

Sassafras is a deciduous tree with aromatic bark and leaves that may be unlobed, mitten-shaped, or three-lobed; small yellow flowers open near leaf emergence.

Flower color note: Yellow to yellow-green. Flower color and pollen color may differ.

Related by Similar Color

Virginia Bluebells - Orange and amber Celandine Poppy - Orange and amber Sweet Corn - Orange and amber Ozark Witch Hazel - Orange and amber Hairy Willowherb - Orange and amber Common Beech - Orange and amber

Related by Season

Apple - Spring Ash - Spring Asparagus - Spring Bell Heath - Spring Berberis - Spring Birch - Spring

Related by Plant Type

Alder - Tree Almond - Tree American Basswood - Tree American Persimmon - Tree Apple - Tree Ash - Tree

Related by USDA Zone

Adam's Needle - Zone 4 - 10 Alder - Zone 2 - 7 Allium - Zone 3 - 9 Almond - Zone 4 - 8 Alsike Clover - Zone 3 - 8 American Basswood - Zone 3 - 8

Related by Bee Forage

Adam's Needle - Pollen and nectar Alfalfa - Pollen and nectar Allium - Pollen and nectar Almond - Pollen and nectar Alsike Clover - Pollen and nectar American Basswood - Pollen and nectar

Sources

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
United States Department of Agriculture / reviewed 2026-07-12
USDA hardiness zone context USDA PLANTS Database
United States Department of Agriculture / reviewed 2026-07-12
scientific name, common name, distribution context, plant classification The Anther's Promise pollen library
The Anther's Promise / reviewed 2026-10-11
pollen color category, bloom period, pollen morphology, bee resource context Selecting Plants for Pollinators regional guides
Pollinator Partnership / reviewed 2026-10-11
North American regional plant selection, native range context, bloom timing, pollinator value Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Foundation contributors / reviewed 2026-07-12
plant image, image credit link