Mystery wood ID

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tiber

tiber

Feeling the Heat
Oct 4, 2009
453
Philadelphia
Awhile ago I posted about this wood which was red when it was sitting, had rough bark and was visibly green in the middle when split. It smelled like wood, so completely unremarkable.

Anyone have any idea what this is?

mystery-wood-bark1-e1293500724149.jpg

mystery-wood-inside-e1293500608483.jpg


Big version of the bark pic
Big version of the inside pic

Note that it's even greener than the camera would indicate, it's seriously green inside.
 
Never seen Mulberry, so I can't offer any insight there. However, based on what I have seen from the Black Locust I've split, that would be my first guess.
 
I'm about 99.999% certain its Mulberry.Bark looks very similar,but the yellowish wood with the random brownish-black streaks are a dead giveaway.Sometimes its a darker yellowish orange,especially in older or slower growing trees.Great burning wood,will sometimes throw a few sparks.Just be patient waiting at least a year for it to dry,depending on its size & you'll be rewarded.Larger,older and/or crooked/knotty logs can be stubborn to split,but its worth the effort.

Here's some I cut in Apr. 2007
 

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Mulberry for sure. Looks like BL but more yellow and has the red striping. Thats a round that has been sitting around for a while.
 
mulberry, great firewood there, one of the best
 
I believe mulberry is correct. He story behind this is the new owners purchased the property and had this bizarre tree which had branches that touched the ground and was struck by lightning. I got the wood they cut off the tree hoping to save it. (Two or three branches). After Googling for each, locust doesn't grow like that so it appears to be mulberry. Thanks guys.
 
tiber said:
I believe mulberry is correct. He story behind this is the new owners purchased the property and had this bizarre tree which had branches that touched the ground and was struck by lightning. I got the wood they cut off the tree hoping to save it. (Two or three branches). After Googling for each, locust doesn't grow like that so it appears to be mulberry. Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

Yup... definitely mulberry... but could possibly be hedge as well. Both woods are top-notch!!

From my experiences, hedge is more likely to have branches that touch the ground. Mulberry normally has a wide-spread, low-hanging canopy, but not nearly as low as hedge.
 
Definatley not hedge, might look like mulberry in the pic but OP said it was green an the pic did it no justice so my bet is black locust.
 
Thistle said:
I'm about 99.999% certain its Mulberry.Bark looks very similar,but the yellowish wood with the random brownish-black streaks are a dead giveaway.Sometimes its a darker yellowish orange,especially in older or slower growing trees.Great burning wood,will sometimes throw a few sparks.Just be patient waiting at least a year for it to dry,depending on its size & you'll be rewarded.Larger,older and/or crooked/knotty logs can be stubborn to split,but its worth the effort.

Here's some I cut in Apr. 2007
Click to expand...

+1 100 percent
 
CodyWayne718 said:
Definatley not hedge, might look like mulberry in the pic but OP said it was green an the pic did it no justice so my bet is black locust.
Click to expand...

What cemented my opinion on this being mulberry is that the tree looked like this picture:
http://www.heritageatrisk.org.au/Mulberry Tree (c) 270106 Photo by P McNamara.jpg

If that tree didn't have the supports those branches would be touching the ground. A locust tree for every picture I could find grows straight up. While this particular branch is straight for all 12" of it, it's cut short because it's so twisted I had to try to cut the grain straight for the maul.
 
Guess I need to read the entire thread before I post!
 
I have to add a vote to the mulberry, I'm assuming this has been decided. We ID it in the winter by the fairly deep groovy bark, in the winter the next season's buds are still noticeable. If it still has leaves on it, the leaves are serrated edges, and kinda feel a bit hairy underneath (like very fine Velcro). The wood when fresh will have some nice color to it. Greeny yellows are very common. Some are crazy colorful, it really looks like someone soaked the wood in copper minerals etc. Someone mentioned that when it ages it can turn very deep red brown. Almost like those expensive Brazilian cherry floors. A local guy uses the aged red mulberry to make stringed instruments.
 
Littlespark said:
I have to add a vote to the mulberry, I'm assuming this has been decided. We ID it in the winter by the fairly deep groovy bark, in the winter the next season's buds are still noticeable. If it still has leaves on it, the leaves are serrated edges, and kinda feel a bit hairy underneath (like very fine Velcro). The wood when fresh will have some nice color to it. Greeny yellows are very common. Some are crazy colorful, it really looks like someone soaked the wood in copper minerals etc. Someone mentioned that when it ages it can turn very deep red brown. Almost like those expensive Brazilian cherry floors. A local guy uses the aged red mulberry to make stringed instruments.
Click to expand...

Now THAT would be cool. Does he have a website?
 
Its not only great fuel,but is wonderful to work with hand & machine tools.Easy to shape,yet enough strength for most purposes.Woodturning,Sculpture,if you're lucky to find large,sound & straight logs - lumber for cabinetwork & small furniture also.In northern Italy near Modena,its one of the woods used for small staved barrels in aging quality Balsamic Vinegars. They use a series of gradually smaller barrels,each for a specific number of years or months. Acacia,Chestnut,Ash & Mulberry.Also is pretty decay resistant,old timers used it for fence posts & garden stakes.I myself have some outside that are 20 yrs in the ground.
 
Another vote for Mulberry....blow up the second picture and zoom in on the end cut and you'll see that the ends are already reddish-brown, the telltale characteristic of Mullberry.
 
A small vase,paperweight/sculpture & lidded box from 1 block I did years ago.Sadly Mulberry (same as its cousin Osage Orange/Hedge) dont keep that brilliant yellowish or yellowish-orange color very long,even in areas of low sunlight.Turns dark reddish brown/dark brown,then sometimes grey fairly quickly.Especially outdoors exposed to rain,sun & wind.
 

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