Mystery tree

[TBE]

Hi all!

New member but a long time follower mostly utilizing the milling and chainsaw forums.

I have this log to slab up and I cannot for the life of me figure out what the species is. I asked around, spend hours on google so I figured I’d give this a shot.

I am located on West Michigan- that’s where the tree was picked up from (from a building site around a man made lake).

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Greenthorn]

Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides)

 

[TBE]

Thank you! Are you pretty certain?

 

[ArtB]

Sure looks like cottonwood to me also. I'm only closely familiar with western black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), but bark is definitely cottonwood.

Leave it outside for a year and if the rot is 6 inchs deep already, black cottonwood for sure.

You say y0u are goind to slab it up - for cheap pallets? I'd not bother trying to make furniture or anything meant to last more than a few years out of it.

 

[TBE]

I was gonna...but now that I know what it is, and having researched cottonwood....won’t be wasting my time. Thank you both!

 

[ArtB]

Grew up in central IL, lots of black walnut, oak, hickory, sycamore.
Moved to PNW and no furniture woods here of similar quality.
Alder just one notch above cottonwood, in the 80s was flabberghasted when mills and cabinet makers started using alder for furniture and cabinets - own opinion it is only good for smoking fish and firewood1

BTW, it you want to use that cottonwood for firewood, let it dry 2 or 3 years first.