Free wood, can anyone id it?

[Andyshine77]

farmer you got it, Box elder, Acer negundo. It's not very dense wood, but when dry it will burn just fine.

 

[Chris in WI]

That doesn't look like any boxelder that I have ever seen. Most boxelders aren't near that straight either. They also are not all that light (weight wise) as compared to say dry poplar.

 

[farmer]

Around here it grows straight enough so that when it gets big enough to get furrowed bark rookies mistake it for ash.

 

[Mikecutstrees]

Just took down 2 -24" and 30 or so smaller of these trees. So I am very familiar with it. Most definately Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)Not great firewood. But it does burn and free wood is better than no wood right? I have heard that when cut it smells like rotten peanut butter. To me it just smells stinky... haha. Wood is yellow and white with large growth rings, greyish bark. Real thick twigs and very conspicious bud scars.

 

[ansehnlich1]

I gotta tell ya that ain't no box elder. nope. box elder's got this pink to red center, ain't no red in that stuff.

'tiswood, that's what it is.......

 

[extremewoodwork]

That would be called Hackberry down here in SC. Is the bark aggrevatingly sharp without gloves.

 

[Andyshine77]

I gotta tell ya that ain't no box elder. nope. box elder's got this pink to red center, ain't no red in that stuff.

'tiswood, that's what it is.......

Yes but not when dry or rotted out.

extremewoodwork it almost looks like hackberry, however the bark is much to smooth.

Hackberry.

 

[farmer]

Yeah, the pink-red goes away. I see some twig stubs left on limbs and trunks that lean me to boxelder.

 

[mayor]

Farmer got it at No.20.........Box Elder

I was thinking that all the time because of the wood being light....everything was looking like maple but maple is heavy!....then I seen the pic. of the wood in the truck with the bark on it and knew right then what it was!

I vote with farmer.....BOX ELDER!

 

[PB]

Twigs and bud scales, I can positively identify it. Any pics?

 

[jeff1632004]

Most likely ailanthus or paulownia, they both have very similar bark and can be hard to tell apart. One can be worth alot for lumber (paulownia) the other is useless (ailanthus). You can tell if its ailanthus if you scratch a little of the bark off and smell it, it will smell like burnt peanut butter also look at some of the small branches of the tree if you have some and look for a spongy material in the center if you have that it is ailanthus.

 

[kruege84]

Ailanthus altissima

Without a doubt.

 

[PB]

Ailanthus altissima

Without a doubt.

A fellow plant nerd, glad to see you around.

 

[sloth9669]

linden >?

how about linden ? bark looks like it...and its a light hardwood....trouble is that first pic of it split makes it look like pin oak.....but who cares its free and it burns...enjoy

 

[kruege84]

A fellow plant nerd, glad to see you around.

I try not to be too much of a nerd about it. But I do get a lot of crap from friends becuase I don't call plants by common names.

IE:

ME - "Hey, thats a nice Cercis!!"
FRIEND - "WTF is a Cercis?? I see a tree with pink flowers, but no Cercis."

 

[PB]

I try not to be too much of a nerd about it. But I do get a lot of crap from friends becuase I don't call plants by common names.

IE:

ME - "Hey, thats a nice Cercis!!"
FRIEND - "WTF is a Cercis?? I see a tree with pink flowers, but no Cercis."

I don't even know most common names anymore. I am a complete plant dork.

 

[buzz sawyer]

sumac

My vote would be smooth sumac, rhus glabra L. Took one down in my yard - will try to post photo later today. Fairly soft wood, I wouldn't expect much heat. I turned a piece on my lathe some years ago. Seems like a fairly stable wood. I 'll be doing a chainsaw carving in a piece soon. I've heard this stuf glows under UV light.

 

[buzz sawyer]

comparison

Here is the last pic from SPED along with a smooth sumac in my yard.

 

[SPED]

Here is the last pic from SPED along with a smooth sumac in my yard.

Yeah, that bark on yours looks exactly like the bark on mine. Also, I was out splitting it today and the bark kind of peels off on some of the smaller pieces and the tree is a little slimy underneath.