• young visitor petting horse

    Oxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm

    Maryland

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  • Changes to Visitor Service due to Sequestration

    Due to mandatory, across-the-board budget cuts, some visitor services in this park have changed. Please check the Plan Your Visit section for more information.

Sassafras

sassafras

Sassafras albidum

Sassafras is a native plant of Maryland. It can be found growing along the fence lines along the gravel road leading down to Oxon Cove. Sassafras is easy to identify with three differently shaped leaves all growing on the same branch. One leaf is shaped like a catcher's mit, another is oval-shaped, and the third is like a three-pronged fork. Native peoples, African Americans, and the Europeans used this plant for a medicinal purposes to cure many types of ailments.

Did You Know?

cider press

The oldest fruit tree in the National Park Service can be found at Oxon Hill Farm.  For centuries the making of cider from apples has been more than just pressing fruit to provide a delicious drink. Cider making was a social event for family and neighbors.