Help Identify PNW wood w/ pics

[NWnewguy]

I feel like I should have been able to find this somewhere on the net, but was unable to find pictures of a tree that looked like this one. I think it would be easier with the leaves. However, these trees are deader than the US Constitution, and therefore won't be having anymore leaves to look at. I have about five of these on my property that are dead. This one is probably in the worst shape as far as a being spalted. It is still pretty hard in the middle though. I would be greatful if anyone could ID these for me. Thanks.

Little picture of the bark.

Picture of the grain, doubt it is this color if it wasn't spalted, but I don't really know for sure.

 

[NWnewguy]

Any ideas ??

Do I need to take some more pictures? I tried to take pics of a couple of the trees stills standing, but it was already too dark to get enough contrast to really see much in my woods. Any guesses??

 

[ctrees4$]

Looks like hickory to me from that picture.

 

[slowp]

It is hard to tell from pictures, but I would guess it was Western Hemlock. It is OK as far as firewood, but not too desirable. It is heavy and hard to dry.

What is spalt? Is it another term for rot?

 

[NWnewguy]

Thanks for the thoughts so far. Yeah, spalt is basically the beginning part of rot, this was the first round of the bottom of the tree and the rest is not nearly as rotten. Mostly woodworkers call it spalt, it still has to be hard and useable though, not soft or punky. This was the softest round and it was surprisingly hard still.

 

[coog]

I lived in WA about 15 years ago, but I think your wood is Alder.

 

[Cedarkerf]

It is hard to tell from pictures, but I would guess it was Western Hemlock. It is OK as far as firewood, but not too desirable. It is heavy and hard to dry.

What is spalt? Is it another term for rot?

:agree2:Barks wrong for Alder definately not Doug fir,

 

[coog]

Does it look like an evergreen or a deciduous tree?

 

[NWnewguy]

I am pretty sure that it is deciduous, I have cut a bunch of hemlock and alder, and it is definitely not that. I wish that I could find a live one to see the leaves, but there aren't any, on my property. It grows fairly straight and then grows a bunch of branches that all grow upward. It definitely has a distinctive bark, they all look the same and appear to not grow much taller than 65' or so. This is really got me beat, I haven't found it on any websites.

 

[demographic]

Just cut an alder the other day and the timber turns quite red after its cut, plus this time of year (in the UK though so could well be different over the pond) they have little kind of cones on them like this, they are not real cones though as its not coniferous.

Plus the male catkins look like this...

I don't think its Alder but I'm no expert.

 

[Highbeam]

Is it in a wet area? The limbs you describe and the splits in the bark make me want to say willow. Usually the willow will have prickles on the inside of the splits. Do these look to be natural growth or planted around a home?

 

[NWnewguy]

They are more than likely natural growth, the branches don't droop like a willow usually does though. I will try another picture of the tree with some better light.

 

[slowp]

So, when you moved here, did you follow the rule that "two must leave before one can arrive?" It's getting a bit crowded.

 

[chucker]

its cascarea (sp) ,the bark is used to make xlax ... you wont want to breath the dry dust from the bark!! lol the leaves are sorta like birch or elm shaped!! good luck! the smoke will have the same effects!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NWnewguy]

Chucker you sound pretty sure. Do they have these in MN? I think I agree with you that it is Cascara, I looked at a million DNR sites and never saw anything about this tree. Here are a few more pictures of one of the trees. Anyone know how it is for firewood?

 

[BC_Logger]

looks like a Norway Maple or a bigleaf maple

defiantly not cascara too tall
this is what cascara bark looks like

http://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/ShowDBImage/ShowImage.aspx?index=2092&size=StandardPhoto

take a look on the forest floor for leaves easy way to tell

 

[Cedarkerf]

Cascara has a very distinct almost bitter smell and taste ive eaten a few chips un intentionally. Well I guess except for madrone all the hard wood chips dont taste very good out here.Was looking at some cotton woods todaythey resemble that bark but are not hard at all.

 

[Hddnis]

I'm tired so I might change my mind before morning but the first thing I thought was dogwood.

Can you get some pictures of the branch tips?



Mr. HE

 

[NWnewguy]

Tried to get some pictures of the branch tips, but the two that I have cut down so far were pretty beat up when they got to the ground and they have been dead for a little while. There are too many big leaf maples around them to find any leaves from whenever they may have had some. I have a few Dogwoods on the property and they are a bit different. The bark on this is very distinct, and sure looks a lot like the Cascara in a few of the websites I looked at.