Wood smells.

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Had a work day at the church this morning and naturally I was elected to cut down some dead trees near the road. Cut them down and the Pastor asked if I would clear a big patch of sumac. Since I’ve never cut sumac for firewood I was surprised
at the smell. Most were 2-3” dia and smelled like peanut butter on hot toast. Smelled way better than that gut wrenching black locust although the locust is a superior firewood. And before you ask, I quit doing illegal drugs 40 years ago.
 
I like the smell of cutting birch, maple, black cherry, ash, and Cedar. I don’t like cutting boxelder. Cottonwood varies from fruit/wine on the good end to rutting buck to crappy diaper depending on the tree.

Evergreens small great but it also means you are about to get sap over everything so I’m not a fan of it.
 
Are you sure that was Staghorn Sumac and not Ailanthus Altissima (aka "Tree of Heaven")?

Both species look very similar but Ailanthus has that rancid peanut butter smell to the bark and leaves. Then the wood when split smells like someone pissed on it. After it dries the smell goes away and it's actually decent firewood, and it splits easy. Similar to ash in both respects. If only it wasn't so invasive, I wouldn't mine having it around and dealing with the smells.
 
Are you sure that was Staghorn Sumac and not Ailanthus Altissima (aka "Tree of Heaven")?

Both species look very similar but Ailanthus has that rancid peanut butter smell to the bark and leaves. Then the wood when split smells like someone pissed on it. After it dries the smell goes away and it's actually decent firewood, and it splits easy. Similar to ash in both respects. If only it wasn't so invasive, I wouldn't mine having it around and dealing with the smells.
This stuff looked like all the sumac I’ve see my whole life. Growing in a thick patch. The smell was pleasant to me, not rancid.
 
I've never cut Sumac either so I have no idea what it smells like, but if it was pleasant and not rancid, then it can't be Ailanthus. Both species look very similar, the only way I can tell is by the large vertical cone shaped red flower clusters on the sumac. The ailanthus flowers grow in clusters too, but kind of droop and are more light red/piink hue to them.
 
sooo... an easy way to differentiate with sumac vs tree of heaven is to put a freshly cut end under black light. It (sumac) will glow an interesting blue color.

that is, im assuming unless you can see the long staghorn fruit still on the tree in which case no need.

as an aside, native americans made a type of drink from those sumac staghorns and if you do have any left i can pass along a recipe.

Tree of Heaven sucks.
 
sooo... an easy way to differentiate with sumac vs tree of heaven is to put a freshly cut end under black light. It (sumac) will glow an interesting blue color.

that is, im assuming unless you can see the long staghorn fruit still on the tree in which case no need.

as an aside, native americans made a type of drink from those sumac staghorns and if you do have any left i can pass along a recipe.

Tree of Heaven sucks.


The old folks made a cough syrup from the stag horn sumac.A doctor ,who's mother made the syrup, said it was very effective.
 
sooo... an easy way to differentiate with sumac vs tree of heaven is to put a freshly cut end under black light. It (sumac) will glow an interesting blue color.

that is, im assuming unless you can see the long staghorn fruit still on the tree in which case no need.

as an aside, native americans made a type of drink from those sumac staghorns and if you do have any left i can pass along a recipe.

Tree of Heaven sucks.


Interesting... I'd have to dig up my black light from my teenage years for that demo. When Dahmer nentiomen "peanut butter" I instantly thought if Ailanthus (I refuse to call it "tree of heaven" more like invasive weed from hell), but it suppose I regarded the word "smell" with a negative connotation; whereas it was a pleasant smell. Ailanthus bark can be smelled easily at close proximity, it's like a stale peanut butter and rancid oil smell.

A pest to deal with, but the wood is decent if straight grained and dry. I used a bunch of it up as kindling last season, and even burned some in the stove when in a pinch.
 
Stag horn sumac has a toothed leaf while TOH has a slightly wavy leaf with a couple of teeth at the base. TOH is a more prolific grower but Sumac seems to grow in similar patches. I consider them both invasive. They both stink to my nose.
 
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