Dead Tree ID

[ValentineHill]

We moved into our new house this summer, and there's a dead tree on the line between me and my neighbor that he says is all mine if I want to cut it down.

However, since I'm not too adept at ID-ing a tree that's been dead for a while, I'm not sure what it is and if it's worth my time / wood pile space to cut, buck, and split it. Any ID's would be mighty appreciated.

 

[smokinj]

Elm-ish to me!

 

[TreePointer]

Yep, elm. No doubt.

 

[ValentineHill]

Thanks for the ID -- it's got to be just about the only elm on this street; everything else is maple.

One more thing: does it look like it's still in good shape for burning?

 

[chvymn99]

Looks like Chinese Elm to me. The nature of the beast, will be thats its brittle in the branch area. So there will be alot of sticks to pick up, but it should be decent wood. Becareful and good luck.

 

[billb3]

It doesn't look like pine or poplar nor does it appear to be full of woodpecker holes
looks like firewood candidate from my house



( I leave pine and poplar for the woodpeckers unless it's in my way )

 

[firefighterjake]

No doubt in my mind . . . classic shape of elm and it has the classic look of a standing dead elm with the bark falling off in large pieces. If I was a betting man, I would bet half my paycheck on this being elm.

As for burning it now . . . it depends . . . a lot depends on when it died . . . my experience with elm like this is that near the top of the tree and in the branches you will have some wood that may be perfectly good to burn, but down near the trunk it may or may not be too "wet" to burn this year.

 

[ValentineHill]

To be honest, it's good news to find out that *any* of it is good, seasoned wood for this season -- freebie! I was planning on tossing it out on one of the piles for another year anyway.

 

[firefighterjake]

To be honest, it's good news to find out that *any* of it is good, seasoned wood for this season -- freebie! I was planning on tossing it out on one of the piles for another year anyway.

Even better . . . the stuff that is marginal this year will be primo nstuff next year.

 

[jackofalltrades]

It is an elm for sure. Leave it alone at all cost. That thing will kill you trying to split it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Just be very careful any time you cut a dead standing tree. Those dead limbs can fall with very little persuasion and getting hit on the head can make your day go very bad.

 

[mossycup]

Siberian Elm...Ulmus pumila

As you would do with witches made of wood, that float like a duck...BURN THEM

 

[Woody Stover]

I think the wood will still be good, not rotted yet. Those small branches and twigs would probably have fallen off if the tree had been dead a long time. If that's the case, you may get some dry stuff from the upper branches but the trunk is probably still too wet. If you don't have a moisture meter, you should be able to gauge dryness by the heft, and by the sound when you knock two pieces together. Are you splitting by hand or have you got a power splitter? I recently got some dead Slippery (Red) Elm and it's tough, but splittable by hand. American Elm is harder to split...not sure about the other Elm varieties.

 

[ValentineHill]

If I cut it down, it'll be hand splitting for me. And all I've ever heard about hand splitting elm is that it's a nightmare, so, we'll see how I do. I really don't want to rent a hydro or anything, so I might cut it into 14" lengths to make it a little easier, and it's not a particularly big elm. But I know elm's reputation, so I may well be beg/borrowing/stealing a splitter for a day.