ailanthus worth it to burn?

[Boike]

has anyone ever used Ailanthus or tree of heaven for heat? I was speaking to a forerester, and he says it is good, but I was under the impression since it was so fast growing it would have little heat value.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Hi, neighbor! Welcome to the site!

I've burned a bit. It's about like poplar, I'd say. If you haven't got anything better, burn it. I wouldn't do much work to get some, though.

But then, there's plenty of oak around here, and I confess, I have become a wood snob!


If you're looking for wood, you might want to check this thread:

http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?t=66226

 

[KsWoodsMan]

has anyone ever used Ailanthus or tree of heaven for heat? I was speaking to a forerester, and he says it is good, but I was under the impression since it was so fast growing it would have little heat value.

He must have a boatload of the stuff to get rid of.

 

[Boike]

well we dont have that much of it, but I am working on removing the trash trees from the farm, and that was just the foresters suggustion on one way to find some value for it. We have plenty of Oak, hickory and locust. I do not even use most of the popular unless it has excellent acces.

Thanks for the link to the wood-mart up in Dulles, but we go thru about 7 coards here(uninsulated farmhouse from the 20's) and I can not even imagine driving that far for wood!

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

Thanks for the link to the wood-mart up in Dulles, but we go thru about 7 coards here(uninsulated farmhouse from the 20's) and I can not even imagine driving that far for wood!

I can't either! But I just take a different route on my way to work, they load me up, and then I finish my commute. When I pull into my fancy-schmancy white collar job in my chinos, polo shirt, and loafers, and climb out of my beat up 94 Nissan loaded with BIG rounds, they kind of look at me funny. :hmm3grin2orange:


At the end of the day, I wander on home and let my boys unload it all. Costs me maybe 5 miles extra on my commute to have good wood loaded for free.

Works for me!

 

[CutaLot]

I have burned some of it for several years. I believe it is considered an invasive species- not native to US. Most people like to keep it off their properties. Because of its fast growing nature, it blocks out native, more valuable species, thus your logger suggesting to get rid of it. Also, the large groups of winged seed pods, high on the tree, allow it to spread quickly.

I think it has more heat value than poplar, but not a lot.

Splits very good and is heavier than poplar.

 

[Ol' Brian]

Tree of Heaven? They should have called it Tree from Hell!!! I have them all over my property... and they're almost impossible to get rid of... you cut one down and they just keep coming back. Gonna have to get some Tordon and see if that will kill the roots out when I cut them down.

I've burned some of it, but not enough to even know if it's good wood.... but, for one thing, it stinks, and it goes from fresh wood to rotten punky trash in about a year...

My advice: kill all of it that you can. Waste time to make firewood of it, up to you.

 

[Dale]

It's crap wood with little heat value. Do yourself a favor. Spray the stump after you cut with Glyphosate, or they'll spread like fire.

 

[trimmmed]

I dropped one today......I hate them trees. I'll cut it up into chunks I can lift and toss it over the hill.......junk, imo.

Did I mention I hate those trees?

 

[dingeryote]

"Tree of stench" is more like it!

Folks think Piss Elm is bad. Nope!

If you can tolerate the smell it burns OK.
But then I don't have neighbors, just my two Mutts that come in smelling like Satans Butt Crack when burning the stuff.

I'd pass on it unless I really needed it and had time to let it season the dead goat stench out.

For killing the stuff, nothing tells a Tree "I hate you" like Crossbow.
The stuff is nasty evil on everything but grass so be carefull though.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Boike]

thanks for the feedback on the tree of heaven. I have decided to just drop them. We use plenty of Crossbow around the farm, so I will just squirt them as I go.