Tree ID - Maple?

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
08brute

08brute

Member
Sep 30, 2009
89
South Dakota
I am horrible at Tree ID but I am thinking this one is Maple. I have no leaves or small branches to take pics of. This was my latest score. A grove that was removed and piled that i finally received permission to cut on. The pic of the pile is almost all this same wood (Maple?) and most are 12 - 16' long. The one end in the pic is about 3' across.

Is this Maple? If so, what kind of maple?
 

Attachments

  • Round Side.jpg
    Round Side.jpg
    33.4 KB · Views: 449
  • Round Side Distance.jpg
    Round Side Distance.jpg
    70.4 KB · Views: 459
  • Wood Pile.jpg
    Wood Pile.jpg
    33.1 KB · Views: 468
  • Round End.jpg
    Round End.jpg
    44.9 KB · Views: 473
inevitabLEE said:
Red for sure.
Click to expand...

Very possible. We don't have any native red around my parts, so I am not overly familiar with it.
 
I looked up Red Maple and it looks like the farthest West it gets is MN. I am in SD. It definately has a red or purple color under the bark though. These trees were 80+' tall and very old. They had minimal branches on the first 50'. (If that helps for ID) Can anyone tell me how Maple burns and seasons? 1 yr season time? I am used to Ash with very short drying times.

I was very surprised to find NO ash trees in this grove. It was mainly Cottonwood (PASS!) and maple. That is unusual for my area.
 
Well - it is a soft variety of Maple -that I am most positive of. It will season at a normal rate of about 12 mo (sometimes less). It burns just fine, but is below Ash. I personally consider it a shoulder season wood, but works very nice for a startup fire. Lights fast and the fire builds quickly.
 
Jags said:
inevitabLEE said:
Red for sure.
Click to expand...

Very possible. We don't have any native red around my parts, so I am not overly familiar with it.
Click to expand...
They might as well be twins as far as wood characteristics.
Silver bark is usually pretty shaggy. Red is tighter.
Silver end grain will almost look a pearl color at certain angles. Red grain is usually cream colored.
Most silver at least in my area also have a large heartwood.
 
Thanks for the replies. I figured it was some sort of Maple but you confirmed. I like to know what i am burning. Next I have to take some pics of this wood i keep coming across. It has this strange mossy looking bark and always ends up having purple spots on the inside. I am not sure if it is diseased or what. It seems heavy and hard. Pictures to follow in a few days.
 
08brute said:
I looked up Red Maple and it looks like the farthest West it gets is MN. I am in SD. It definately has a red or purple color under the bark though. These trees were 80+' tall and very old. They had minimal branches on the first 50'. (If that helps for ID) Can anyone tell me how Maple burns and seasons? 1 yr season time? I am used to Ash with very short drying times.

I was very surprised to find NO ash trees in this grove. It was mainly Cottonwood (PASS!) and maple. That is unusual for my area.
Click to expand...

That maple can be cut, split and stacked by spring and be ready to burn next fall. Yes, it tends to dry rather fast. Some do not like it because it will burn faster than oak but it still gives you lots of heat. Makes excellent kindling wood too.

Hey, don't feel too bad about the no ash trees. We'll soon be in the same shape as all ours are dead.
 
Backwoods Savage said:
08brute said:
I looked up Red Maple and it looks like the farthest West it gets is MN. I am in SD. It definately has a red or purple color under the bark though. These trees were 80+' tall and very old. They had minimal branches on the first 50'. (If that helps for ID) Can anyone tell me how Maple burns and seasons? 1 yr season time? I am used to Ash with very short drying times.

I was very surprised to find NO ash trees in this grove. It was mainly Cottonwood (PASS!) and maple. That is unusual for my area.
Click to expand...

That maple can be cut, split and stacked by spring and be ready to burn next fall. Yes, it tends to dry rather fast. Some do not like it because it will burn faster than oak but it still gives you lots of heat. Makes excellent kindling wood too.

Hey, don't feel too bad about the no ash trees. We'll soon be in the same shape as all ours are dead.
Click to expand...
Dennis, you are getting soft in your old age. :) :cheese: :snake: Sorry, just had to kid you a little. Next thing you will be splitting horizontal.......Yikes :bug: :ahhh: :snake:
 
Ha Steve, I think you know me better than that. :lol:
 
thanks for all the info. i just got to get 3 of these large trees with alot of wind damage from my neighbor, one was over 20" at base.
 
I know it isnt premium wood but over the last 5 days i have hauled home 8 35' flatbed trailer loads of this maple in 10' - 16' lengths. If I had to guess, I would say i have about 16 cords. Now I have to work on cutting/splitting/stacking! I bought a used MS360 20" on the 3rd of this month and have put it to the test. Wow, that thing throws some serious volume of chips! It seems like it throws double what my 270 18" throws (Both full chisel).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

W
Maple id help
Replies
12
Views
967
The Wood Shed
gthomas785
G
stoveliker
Another wood ID
Replies
12
Views
498
The Wood Shed
BigJ273
BigJ273
P
Two Year Old Eastern Hophornbeam
Replies
4
Views
1K
The Wood Shed
snojetter
snojetter
R
Tree ID
Replies
5
Views
490
The Wood Shed
reaperman1
R
P
Squirting Sugar Maples
Replies
6
Views
492
The Wood Shed
Max W
Max W
Top Bottom
Back