Let Me Ash You A Question

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Firefighter938

Firefighter938

Feeling the Heat
Dec 25, 2014
440
Central Indiana
Today I went to clean up a few hard maple logs I had left behind on my last load. I texted a buddy to let him know I was on my way and he said he pulled another tree nearby I could have.

When I got there I thought it was ash from looking at the bark. When I cut Into it the wood seemed to have some other discoloration I wasn't used to. I took a few pictures for the experts.

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Normally when I cut ash it is all white with a slightly darker heartwood. Some of the rounds even had a reddish hue in them.

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Today's haul.


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Pics have a green tint but I'm pretty sure that's White Ash. Sometimes the center can be darker, and it looks like that one may have been standing dead for a while, which may contribute. Split one open and lets have a look at the grain, that should confirm it.
 
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The center dark stain usually means the crown on the tree was dead
 
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I see Ash. About 1/3 of this past year's fuel was Ash for me and I have come to love it. Drys fast and throws plenty of heat. The stuff I burned from mid Feb on was only C/S/S in June. Loaded on coals it took right off and burned clean. I was surprised.
 
Ash can look like Norway maple. Are there very small D shaped holes in the bark?
 
Yep that's ash! Like D8 said small hole in center of round usually means Ash. Good stuff!
 
Woody Stover said:
Pics have a green tint but I'm pretty sure that's White Ash. Sometimes the center can be darker, and it looks like that one may have been standing dead for a while, which may contribute. Split one open and lets have a look at the grain, that should confirm it.
Click to expand...

Yes, apparently I hit some effects mode on my phone. I fixed a couple of pictures.

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Ash, That is "stain" (the early stages of decay) Tree was dead or nearly dead.
 
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D8Chumley said:
I bomb lots of them. I love the ID questions, I Look at the pics and try to guess before I scroll down. I only know ash because I have lots here ;)
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I don't have very many at all. Actually I just processed my first one a few weeks ago. I cut down a couple hickories for ash a few years ago before I came here lol
 
It's Ash. Zoom it up and see the BB hole right in the middle.
 
nrford said:
Ash, That is "stain" (the early stages of decay) Tree was dead or nearly dead.
Click to expand...

I have noticed too that usually when I get Ash that is stained like that it has kind of a "sour" almost "spoiled" smell to it.....
 
One of our state parks took down almost all their ash due to EAB and was selling it for $5 a truck load. Shame they're all dying off
 
Osagebndr said:
One of our state parks took down almost all their ash due to EAB and was selling it for $5 a truck load. Shame they're all dying off
Click to expand...
Our parks won't do Jack and mostly let it sit and rot. Even if they do cut the dead/dying Ash, Mr. Ranger won't sell it at any price or the company that cuts it keeps it.
 
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If you have the full tree there look at the branches... Ash is one of the few trees with opposite branching (vs alternate) and it's the ONLY tree with bark like that AND opposite branching.
 
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