China, India, Indonesia, and Philippines are major producers. The leaves and stems are cut and steam distilled. The resultant oil is allowed to age. This oil was especially popular during the 1960's. The active ingredient is safrole, which has a root-beer like odor.
Many people make tea from sassafras roots, but safrole is a suspected carcinogen.
N. Sweet birch. This oil with a wintergreen-odor is derived from the sap of the sweet birch tree, Betula lenta . O. Ylang ylang. Derived from flowers of Cananga odorata , a tree in the Magnolia family that is native to Indonesian and the Philippines. A. A brief history of perfumes.