Wood ID please... Is this Black Gum?

Split one open. I don't know Gum. Almost looks like walnut.

Big rounds look like WALNUT.

I think it looks like Walnut too. Walnut is a mid-range hardwood in terms of BTUs. I have burned a lot of it and like it.

Walnut as in Butternut?
I dont know Black gum and I dont see walnut.
Maybe Butternut.

Black gum looks like alagater skin. This looks more like wallnut

We have a lot of black gum here, used to cut a couple every year for those above freezing days. It has a smooth, tan-colored surface when split.

Indeed, the bark resembles alligator hide. The bark on those rounds is similar to that of black gum but I've never seen it turn really dark on the ends like that.

it looks like is has been there for some time

It's gum. Stay away!

Split it and post pics..............

This is Black Gum, I don't waste it cut in little 6" rounds and season and burn . That one I hit with splitter till it was nothing but strings.

It's called Gum for a reason.

Just a FYI... gum, sweet and black will split a lot cleaner if the rounds are allowed to set a few months before splitting. This is from green off the stump, I can't speak for old rounds. You'll still get the familiar jack-o-lantern grin at the ends of your splits but it's not stringy and clingy like when green.

You'll need a hydro splitter to bust the stuff. Slab off the outsides of the rounds first then split the center. Black gum actually splits smoothly in this manner, it looks like it's been finished.

Fred Wright said:

Just a FYI... gum, sweet and black will split a lot cleaner if the rounds are allowed to set a few months before splitting.

Click to expand...

I tried doing this and found it was worse to split after I let it sit for a few months, this was with sweet gum. I found it was easier to split when green. I burn quite a bit of sweet gum and as long as it is green I don't have an issue splitting it, seems like once it dries up the fibers start coming apart easier.