What kind of tree is this?

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skmag357

skmag357

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Neighbor wants me to help him take down this tree....what kind of tree is it and is it good for firewood? Let me know. Thanks
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StihlyinEly

StihlyinEly

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It's not an elm. Looks like black walnut to me, too. The paired leaves combined with the lack of a single terminal leaf narrows it way down.
 
skmag357

skmag357

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Yea I think you guys are right. It gets those big green balls (walnuts I am guessing) during the year at some point. I went out and looked for some and I think their landscaper cleaned them all up. How is black walnut as firewood? I think I have burned some before and it has a really nice smell and wood grain and color is awesome....am I right?
 
StihlyinEly

StihlyinEly

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Yea I think you guys are right. It gets those big green balls (walnuts I am guessing) during the year at some point. I went out and looked for some and I think their landscaper cleaned them all up. How is black walnut as firewood? I think I have burned some before and it has a really nice smell and wood grain and color is awesome....am I right?

Inside those balls, if you peel them, are the walnuts still in the hard shell. They don't look like the shells you buy in the grocery store during Christmas season, but are dark, smaller and rougher.

It's good firewood, but you should think in terms of cutting a couple 8-foot+ saw logs to either get milled for lumber or sell to someone who wants the lumber. Walnut is sought after for many woodworking uses. This tree looks mature enough that you could get a couple-three saw logs and still have plenty of wood unsuitable for lumber that you could cut into firewood lengths.
 
ropensaddle

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Yea I think you guys are right. It gets those big green balls (walnuts I am guessing) during the year at some point. I went out and looked for some and I think their landscaper cleaned them all up. How is black walnut as firewood? I think I have burned some before and it has a really nice smell and wood grain and color is awesome....am I right?

All of the walnut family including hickory's pecans are excellent firewood but is more valued for veneer!
 
skmag357

skmag357

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It's good firewood, but you should think in terms of cutting a couple 8-foot+ saw logs to either get milled for lumber or sell to someone who wants the lumber. Walnut is sought after for many woodworking uses. This tree looks mature enough that you could get a couple-three saw logs and still have plenty of wood unsuitable for lumber that you could cut into firewood lengths.

I don't even know if there is a mill around Philly. He said I could have the wood if I help him take it down. How much money do you typically get for black walnut?
 
thepheniox

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As some has said it is diffinately Butternut. I don't think it is actually that good for firewood. On second look I could not say Butternut for sure but it is one or the other. Anyone I know that has burnt either has said it is not that good to burn.
 
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ropensaddle

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As some has said it is diffinately Butternut. I don't think it is actually that good for firewood. On second look I could not say Butternut for sure but it is one or the other. Anyone I know that has burnt either has said it is not that good to burn.

It is prime hardwood of great quality for firewood and cabinets,woodworking.
It may not be Ash or white and red oak but it burns and throws off significant heat.
 
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StihlyinEly

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Butternut (Juglans cinerea) has the same opposite leaf pattern and nearly the same looking leaf as the walnut, but butternut has a single terminal leaf at the end of the shaft. Black walnut (Juglans nigra) does not. Walnut ends in a leaf pair, as in the example pictured. That means this is a walnut. Walnut fruit husks range from very slightly elongated to perfectly round (almost all are round). Butternut husks are all longer/narrower. Butternut husks are also very sticky to the touch, which I haven't found with walnut.

Walnut is good burning wood. Black walnut has about 20 MBTU per cord, which puts it up a bit better than red maple, white birch and black ash. "White walnut" is just another name for butternut. The wood is more pale, thus the "white" description, and butternut is down below 15 MBTU/cord.
 
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