Hackberry vs. Mulberry--Time for a Judgment Call.

[Wood Doctor]

I got a chance to bring in a slew of hackberry for firewood this month and I'm doing it now. Trees were mostly in great shape but threatening bulidings, so they had to come down. I also brought in three cords of mulberry last month when wet snow was still around. Same situation. Solid to the core but too big and dangerous. Spitting and stacking is now in progress.

So, both are berrywoods--mulberry and hackberry. In your opinion, which one will be the better of the two for firewood when it's time to heat the building next winter?

I'm all ears. Lay it on me and please discuss. :msp_smile:

 

[Mntn Man]

Mullberry for sure. I would rate mulberry a bit better than elm. I feel hackberry is a little bit less desireable than elm. I am happy to get either one, though.

 

[stumpy75]

I agree with Mulberry.

Sweep's Library - Firewood BTU Comparison Charts

 

[gink595]

TO be honest I wouldn't bother with either one, Mulberry leaves alot of ash and hackberry is heavier than hell green and stringy like elm. No way would I take hackberry over elm, at least not the elms we have around here.

 

[jerryw66]

I've never burned mulberry, but have burned a lot of hackberry. The only problem I've seen, is that the hackberry will get punky real quick if left on the ground. I'd season it this summer and plan on burning it this winter, it should dry well enough if split. Mine that is over 2 yrs old is fine, because it has always been under a roof. It's not my wood of choice, but I do get a bit of it, probably 10-15% of my stove wood is hackb.

 

[Wood Doctor]

????

TO be honest I wouldn't bother with either one, Mulberry leaves alot of ash and hackberry is heavier than hell green and stringy like elm. No way would I take hackberry over elm, at least not the elms we have around here.

You are kidding, of course? So far I've split a bunch of the green hackberry and practically none of it is stringy. Splits beautifully and just as easy as the mulberry if not easier. opcorn:

Also, dense ("heavy") wood in my book means more BTUs per cord and I've been told that dry hackberry doesn't burn with nearly as many sparks as mulberry.

 

[Deets066]

Both are great burning, dont see a whole lot of difference, as i have an owb, but would gladly take either.

 

[ks_osage_orange]

More heat in Mulberry, it is more dense when dry compared to Hackberry. But, like Hedge, Mulberry tends to pop embers out. So for an open fireplace Hackberry would definately be the better choice. For everything else Mulberry wins.

 

[CTYank]

You are kidding, of course? So far I've split a bunch of the green hackberry and practically none of it is stringy. Splits beautifully and just as easy as the mulberry if not easier. opcorn:

Also, dense ("heavy") wood in my book means more BTUs per cord and I've been told that dry hackberry doesn't burn with nearly as many sparks as mulberry.

Seems to me, gink said, in effect, that hackberry's density while GREEN was high. So he's talking water-weight. You're talking dry-weight.

 

[mizzou]

More heat in Mulberry, it is more dense when dry compared to Hackberry. But, like Hedge, Mulberry tends to pop embers out. So for an open fireplace Hackberry would definately be the better choice. For everything else Mulberry wins.

+1 on everything quoted. I find Hackberry is decent wood, mulberry makes a lot better heat pretty close to hedge.

 

[Nosmo]

Mulberry or Hackberry ?

I've got both of these in my firewood stacks. Mulberry seems to be the better of the two when they both are seasoned. Best I can compare the two for burning is this - seems the hackberry burns a little faster and the mulberry lasts longer.

When mixed with elm both seem to be a decent firewood when used in a stove. If either of them is available as free firewood to cut I'd take them.

Nosmo

 

[3fordasho]

TO be honest I wouldn't bother with either one, Mulberry leaves alot of ash and hackberry is heavier than hell green and stringy like elm. No way would I take hackberry over elm, at least not the elms we have around here.

Must be significant regional differences in hackberrys and elms- I generally prefer hackberry to most elms around here, the exception being red or rock elm. I've got lots of hackberry around me, must have ten of em in my yard alone. Slow growing, splits about the same as green ash and much easier than many elms. More moisture content than the green ash, but when seasoned maintains pretty good weight. Bark is very thin so not much ash from that after burning. I can't compare to mulberry.. that's a pretty rare tree around here.

 

[gink595]

Must be significant regional differences in hackberrys and elms- I generally prefer hackberry to most elms around here, the exception being red or rock elm. I've got lots of hackberry around me, must have ten of em in my yard alone. Slow growing, splits about the same as green ash and much easier than many elms. More moisture content than the green ash, but when seasoned maintains pretty good weight. Bark is very thin so not much ash from that after burning. I can't compare to mulberry.. that's a pretty rare tree around here.

There must be difference in the elms, I've heard people cuss it and say it isn't worth a damn. If I had my choice of one wood I could burn the rest of my life it would be Red Elm.

 

[3fordasho]

There must be difference in the elms, I've heard people cuss it and say it isn't worth a damn. If I had my choice of one wood I could burn the rest of my life it would be Red Elm.

From my experience:

American Elm - very white wood, extremely hard splitting, twisted grain tears instead of splitting. If dead standing alot of the smaller stuff (4-10") will be somewhat punky and very light. Bark usually comes off on its own.

Siberian elm - very wet when cut, water pours out, reddish-brown heart wood dries quickly to light brown. Splits pretty decently, bark creats LOTS of ash when burned. Seasons quickly, rarely find completely dead ones because the dutch elm does not get them. Low btu value. Bark almost never comes off on its own. I'm up to my eyeballs in this stuff.

Red elm - premium as far as elms. Splits much better than american elm, highest BTU value for the elms, unfortunately not what I usually find

 

[atlarge54]

I think the red elm which Gink likes so well is usually cut dead around here with all the bark off, which is nice. When you give it a knock it has a really nice SOLID sound. I've cut it standing dead and even though it seems dry it needs extra seasoning before it burns right.

I think what you call siberian elm is sometimes called chinese elm and it makes cottonwood seem like hickory.

Personally I've cut a LOT of mulberry just to get rid of it-----the brush really sucks, it's knobby and hard to pull apart. The wood is easy to split, seem to be fairly rot resistant and has GOOD heat value.

 

[needwood]

Im like you

Must be significant regional differences in hackberrys and elms- I generally prefer hackberry to most elms around here, the exception being red or rock elm. I've got lots of hackberry around me, must have ten of em in my yard alone. Slow growing, splits about the same as green ash and much easier than many elms. More moisture content than the green ash, but when seasoned maintains pretty good weight. Bark is very thin so not much ash from that after burning. I can't compare to mulberry.. that's a pretty rare tree around here.

Must be a regional differences. Some of our friends on here say Hackberry isn't worth a damn. I sure wish I could find about a cord or two a year. Hard to split but seams to put off some BTUs and burns for a wile. Who knows" Maybe we are talking bout a different tree!

 

[Wood Doctor]

My Vote Goes to Hackberry

Must be a regional differences. Some of our friends on here say Hackberry isn't worth a damn. I sure wish I could find about a cord or two a year. Hard to split but seams to put off some BTUs and burns for a wile. Who knows" Maybe we are talking bout a different tree!

Maybe the regional differences in hackberry trees are real. These samples I am working on grew to 70' tall, 36" dia. at the base, and had 60' dia. crowns. First fork was pruned to 25' up. All the annular rings are tightly packed on the big branches and the trunks. I'd estimate 70+ years in age. Termites did them in and hollowed them out at the base.

Several bowl turners have shown an interest in a few of the choice rounds, several of which I have to noodle in half to lift onto the truck anyway. They can use the half cylinders to turn gorgeous bowls on their lathes.

This wood is whiter than white ash, except at the heartwood where it suddenly changes color immediately, similar in some respects to shagbark hickory. The bark is certainly thinner than both mulberry or ash, much more like pin oak. I've been told that hackberry is a rural tree and seldom planted in neighborhood developments, but I'm not sure why. It does not seem to be intrusive, unless the roots wander and attack foundations. Anyone know?

Anyway, if it burns with fewer sparks than mulberry with about the same heat content, I may give the nod to hackberry as being the more desirable for firewood. LOML always squawks about mulberry sparking at her when she reloads the stove.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

I always thought Hackberry was pretty interesting wood; unusual knobs on it, splits and burns nicely. Throws decent heat so I grab it if I see it. Mulberry here in Eastern PA. is plentiful; many on here rave about it and compare it to Oak and such. I personally was never ga-ga over it, but burn it when I have it. It does pop and spark sometimes wildly especially when opening the stove door so be ready for that! I guess I should take more of a liking to it since I have a ****load of it ready for Winter of 2012 unless something else comes my way to replace it and it probably will!

 

[Mntn Man]

I've been told that hackberry is a rural tree and seldom planted in neighborhood developments, but I'm not sure why. It does not seem to be intrusive, unless the roots wander and attack foundations. Anyone know?

Probably because of the "berries". They are hard, little round balls that make quite a mess and can be quite dangerous. The folks that own the local saw shop have 2 over their driveway and they hate having to clean up the mess. They can act like marbles and send you flying.

 

[kyle1!]

Take both

As with any wood they have some drawbacks but both of these are decent firewood.
Too many wood snobs here otstir:

I have hackberry trees circling my home. They were planted, every 10ft or so, and probably were planted when the house was built in the 40's. They are just like the wood doctor described in size. My trees are at the end of their lifespan and have lost 3 in last 10years. They do drop a decent amount of berries but hardly a hazard. The berries are the size of a pea, brown in color and squish between your fingers.

I spent the first 5 years eradicating mulberry trees on my five acres. The birds would disperse the seed all over. With the trees looking for sunlight the trunks or multitrunks would be all crooked. It was still good firewood but the pieces weren't as nice. Both are pretty easy to split with a maul with hackberry being a little tougher.

Brian