Let's Discuss Mulberry

[Wood Doctor]

I think this species has been getting an undeserved bad rap. It's primary criticism is that it throws sparks and pops when it burns. However, all concede that it kicks out fabulous heat and is easy to split, green or dry. A few of my customers and friends, especially the seniors and experienced wood burners who heat their houses with wood, actually request that I supply mulberry with their deliveries if its available.

Here is what I have discovered, almost by accident. The sparks are caused primarily by the bark and from burning the wood when it is not quite dry. If mulberry is dry and barkless, very few pops occur and it is thus not unlike other species that are highly rated for firewood, such as ash, red elm, hard maple, and oak.

Forum, please advise and discuss. TIA.

 

[farmer steve]

several of the BTU charts rate it higher than some of the oaks. my retired butcher buddy who has a small smokehouse and it's one of his favorites.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Several of the BTU charts rate it higher than some of the oaks. My retired butcher buddy who has a small smokehouse send it's one of his favorites.

No doubt that mulberry has high heat content -- higher even than walnut. I've seen blue flames now and then when it burns in my stove, but it might be my imagination. Years ago an older guy once said to me, "The best wood for heating a house are nut woods and berry woods."

 

[Need2Saw]

is mulberry usually ready to burn in 1 year or 2? I am processing some wood that I believe is mulberry, it seems very heavy (wet). I have never cut, seasoned or burned this type of wood before.

 

[Woodcutteranon]

I had a good supply of Mulberry once. I remember how yellow it was and it was pretty neat to work with. It split nice...kinda cleaved off. There was very little odor and the smoke smell was decent. I took some pics of it but I can't find it. If I do I will post.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Is mulberry usually ready to burn in 1 year or 2? I am processing some wood that I believe is mulberry, it seems very heavy (wet). I have never cut, seasoned or burned this type of wood before.

Split it green now and you can burn it when it turns cold in the late fall. Best part about mulberry is that it splits easily when green. You cannot do that with elm -- stringy as all get out -- or even cottonwood or poplar. Note that when exposed outdoors, it turns from yellow to burnt orange as it dries. The bark will also fall off when dry.

 

[old guy]

I hate that **** it keeps growing up in my fence lines and between the buildings, I can't get rid of it.

 

[cornfused]

I like mulberry. As mentioned before, splits easy, cures quickly and is easier to get started than most woods of similar density. It coals well, not as good as oak and such, but not bad. Also works well for shoulder season mixed with silver maple etc., saving the best wood for the real cold times.

 

[cornfused]

I hate that **** it keeps growing up in my fence lines and between the buildings, I can't get rid of it.

The d@mn birds perch on the fences and building eaves and poop the seeds out and before you know it the trees are big as the fence. Tordon is your friend!!!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Sure is pretty when it comes off my BSM!

SR

 

[Cowboy254]

No doubt that mulberry has high heat content -- higher even than walnut. I've seen blue flames now and then when it burns in my stove, but it might be my imagination. Years ago an older guy once said to me, "The best wood for heating a house are nut woods and berry woods."

That's because he didn't have ironbark or grey box ! Probably too far to haul that over to the US, I guess.

Cowgirl is planning on planting a mulberry at our place soon. If it turns out to be annoying it might suffer an accidental chainsaw related death and I'll be able to post my own opinions on its firewoodliness.

 

[longbowch]

Mulberry works great for smoking meat also. Gives sweet taste. With mulberry there are male and female trees. I believe the male has no fruit and grows straighter.

 

[Streblerm]

I love burning mulberry. I like it’s density, how it smells and how it splits. It seems to dry faster than oak. I find that it sparks most when air is introduced and after coaling has happened. For practical purposes this would be when opening the stove door to reload or when raking coals around. It doesn’t always seem to do it though. I have seen some pretty intense spark shows and ruined a couple fleece jackets. Not enough downside to keep me from burning it.

 

[Wood Doctor]

I love burning mulberry. I like it’s density, how it smells and how it splits. It seems to dry faster than oak. I find that it sparks most when air is introduced and after coaling has happened. For practical purposes this would be when opening the stove door to reload or when raking coals around. It doesn’t always seem to do it though. I have seen some pretty intense spark shows and ruined a couple fleece jackets. Not enough downside to keep me from burning it.

I noticed that whenever I start a fire with mulberry bark as kindling, it sparks a lot. That got me thinking that maybe most of the sparking that you get with mulberry comes from the bark and from embedded moisture. So, if you separate the bark from the log during the splitting process, it might make for a calmer fire when burning dry, barkless logs.

This idea is just a thought and worth some experimenting, especially in my case. That's because a couple of loggers dropped off a picker truck almost packed full with mulberry yesterday. They estimated about eight tons were on board, logs between nine and 15 feet in length. The tree was a whopper. I'll post pics of the pile early next week. My work is now cut out for me.

 

[Need2Saw]

These are what I'm believing to be mulberry, am I correct? Thanks

 

[Wood Doctor]

View attachment 643454 View attachment 643455 View attachment 643456 View attachment 643457 These are what I'm believing to be mulberry, am I correct? Thanks

That's exactly what it is. Note the density, especially when green. One of the few times that I overloaded my pickup truck was with green mulberry rounds. The other was with locust and pin oak.

The splits will all turn burnt orange in about a month as they dry. They will eventually shed the bark, but that takes awhile. As others have said, mix the mulberry with other species, such as elm and maple. The combination fire will then be terrific.

I've read that birds plant far more mulberry trees than humans do and that's one reason they spread all over the place. Farmers have used them for tree lines and rows, but they propagate away from the line.

 

[moresnow]

Cowgirl is planning on planting a mulberry at our place soon. If it turns out to be annoying it might suffer an accidental chainsaw related death and I'll be able to post my own opinions on its firewoodliness.

If its not native. It soon will be. Prolific.
Id be leery of planting one unless they are all over the place already!
Good stove wood however. I like it.

 

[Cowboy254]

If its not native. It soon will be. Prolific.
Id be leery of planting one unless they are all over the place already!
Good stove wood however. I like it.

There is the odd one around, they don't seem to have taken over. Cowgirl is looking at a cutting from a tree at a friend's place.

 

[rancher2]

Mulberry makes great firewood but it does like to throw sparks like hedge when you open the door to add more. I have mostly gotten rid of the mulberry trees on my farms so I mostly burn locust and hedge should be done with locust in the next few years and will be down to hedge for the Garn to burn.

 

[Wood Doctor]

Mulberry makes great firewood but it does like to throw sparks like hedge when you open the door to add more. I have mostly gotten rid of the mulberry trees on my farms so I mostly burn locust and hedge should be done with locust in the next few years and will be down to hedge for the Garn to burn.

Maybe the solution is really simple. Burn one mulberry log along with three others such as elm, maple, oak, or locust. Don't pack the stove entirely with mulberry. That's one of the reasons why I deliver mixed hardwoods rather than all one species.

Oh, and those sparks are really appreciated by campfire burners. They love the display, especially on summer holidays.