Cherry wood and....??

[Dfw245]

Just picked up some good cherry from a guy today, yet I noticed randomly through the wood, there was some sort of lightly colored wood. Seemed very seasoned too. But it's very tan in color, nothing compared to the cherry. The bark is also completely different. North Texas here. Dallas area. I've used oak and pecan and all sorts of wood, but this? This small limbed wood is baffling me. Here's a pic.

The very two center pieces are the mystery pieces. One on the right facing up and the one of the left is bark up. The rest is cherry(I'm assuming?). Anyone have a clue what this is? Also, hi all!! New to the forum lol

 

[aansorge]

Looks like an ornamental (crabapple?).

 

[gzecc]

Does resemble apple that we have in the northeast. Very hard to ID with such little information.

 

[Dfw245]

What further info would you like? Don't really know alot about it as I purchased a bunch of cherry and some of it came with it.

 

[Dfw245]

Here's another photo of it. Much bigger piece this time. The big piece in the middle and there's a split running perpendicular across it also. Both of those pieces are that variety of wood.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

hickory

 

[Dfw245]

hickory

Really? That's the first I've heard that suggested. Something give that away? I'll post a closer pic of the end grain in a bit. Maybe that'll help

 

[DuaeGuttae]

I moved to Texas Hill Country several years ago, and one very big difference about living here from living in my native Virginia is that there is a lot less poison ivy. I have no idea what it’s like up where you live and whether that vine could be dangerous, but it gave me a jolt when I saw it. It could be any number of innocent vines, of course, but I’d be careful handling it (I’m super allergic to poison ivy). Even long dead vines can still contain active urushiol, and if it’s burned, the smoke can cause allergic reactions.

I’m afraid I have no insight for you about the wood itself. Others here are much better than I am about that, but I wanted to at least give a caution about the vine. Can you contact the guy you purchased it from and ask about the wood and the vine?

 

[Dfw245]

Thanks for the word of caution. Will do, I stacked it myself so, at least so far, there is no reaction. I was trying to refrain from contacting him about it but I'll drop him a line. Wanted to see if someone else had an idea about it...more unbiased idea I should say. Posted on Reddit and I'm getting white oak and catalpa from people. Only a couple people tho

 

[stoveliker]

To me the bark has hints of sassafras. The wood of the diagonal split might be to light/yellowish (rather than beige), but wanted to throw this out there.
Is it easy to split? Bark underneath a bit orange? Fragrant?

 

[TheBigIron]

That piece with the vine on it I believe is oak of some kind could be pin oak, but I believe it’s oak. I’m no expert though 🤘🏼🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Dfw245]

Well the diagonal split and the large piece with the vine are the same species of wood. Haven't split it myself. Not fragrant at all. But the edge of the bark does have a very slight orange/red tint to it. Uploading an end pic now

 

[stoveliker]

Well the diagonal split and the large piece with the vine are the same species of wood. Haven't split it myself. Not fragrant at all. But the edge of the bark does have a very slight orange/red tint to it. Uploading an end pic now

resplit one and smell - maybe the fragrance has disappeared already.
If no smell, then not sassafras.

 

[gzecc]

I'm now leaning towards sassafras too.

 

[Dfw245]

 

[Dfw245]

Here's a random log here not sure if that's cherry also...thought I'd throw it in here.

But that aside, here's a more put together end of the original mystery splits. Gives a better look. Idk if it helps or not but some of the wood had very sticky reddish stuff on it. Like....syrupish type. Cherry wood do that? These three pieces in a row are all that mystery wood. Don't have anything to split with so I'd have to figure that out.

 

[Dfw245]

Wood I'd please- sassafras?

My neighbor and I cut a truckload of wood this morning. My first thoughts were oak on the bark, but the splintered pieces were not oak grain. No open...

firewoodhoardersclub.com

Looks eerily similar to this now. Could it be cottonwood after all, as opposed to sass?

 

[stoveliker]

The end grain doesn't completely match with what I've seen in sassafras. It's wider rings here than I'm used to.

So I don't know anymore.

I thought the cotton wood in the other forum was a bit more yellow than this on the split surface.

I think if you take a good size knife, and cut some bark off, if it is sassafras you'll smell it.

Although, it's already checked on the ends. So smell could be diminishing. (Though resplitting 1.5 year old wood here made the whole driveway smell.)
So I don't know how old this is.
I'd give it a go with a knife and see if it passes the smell test. Root beer=sassafras.

 

[Dfw245]

Well I shaved off some bark and it's definitely very very fragrant. Wouldn't know if root beer is what I would put my finger on as the smell..but I could see how it could come off as that. To me it reminds me of a mild Vicks rub smell. Just a bit more tame. But definitely just peeled a piece or two off and it hits you. Is that about right?

 

[stoveliker]

Yes. Slightly more acidic than that, but that sounds about right to me.

It'll dry quick, burn fairly quick. I.e it's not oak... But I like it mixed in a stack. Good shoulder season wood. Or a cold start wood to get the stove quickly up to temps. Can spark a bit so be aware.

 

[Dfw245]

I appreciate that a ton. Just to confirm. It's not Catalpa is it? Looked up some pics and it looks strikingly similar. But if going based off the aroma maybe it truly is just sass. Looks like I'll use them as starter logs with a little bit of kindlin

 

[DuaeGuttae]

It’s probably worth noting that sassafras is not native to anywhere in Texas except the east. That doesn’t mean it couldn’t be planted in Dallas, of course. My backyard has a bunch of non-native trees.

Whatever it is, it will burn if it’s dry. What do you burn in? Fireplace, stove?

 

[Dfw245]

Fireplace. I was buying smoking wood. Cherry. And it's east Texas. East of Dallas...actually about an hour or two east of Dallas. So that might make more sense

 

[stoveliker]

I have not been near catalpa, so I would not be able to tell.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Sure looks like Sassy to me, it has a scent like Pinesol. Like Stoveliker said it'll put on a spark and pop show for you when burned, if it does that then you know it's Sassafras.