Dogwood

[krex1010]

The other night it was chilly and rainy so I lit a fire, I started it up with some small cedar splits and after I had some good coals I threw in some dogwood chunks from a tree I cut n my yard. I was surprised how well that dogwood burned. I threw in 3 oddball chunks around 11 pm and those suckers kept my whole house warm for nearly 10 hours and I had enough coals to start a fire nearly 14 hours later. I know it wasn't bitter cold but I only had my firebox a little more than half full. Anyways I think I will be saving the dogwood for some mid winter nights and I am glad that I have a decent bit of this stuff! Anyone else ever burn this stuff?

 

[madrone]

Dogwood kicks ass. It's one of my favorites. Most people don't seem to know how good it is, and the arborist I get a lot of wood from hates it, but I think it's fantastic. Can be less fun to split at times though...

 

[CTburning]

I am actually burning it now and it does hold coals for a long time. I remember reading that it does have a lot of btu's but I only have wood from a small tree that grew on the edge of my property. I don't bother to split it, just let it season for a couple of years. It is only 4-5" diameter.

 

[DiscoInferno]

I've got a couple from neighbors, but the trees around here are small. No more than a few logs per tree, no splitting needed. Very dense.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

It may burn well, but most of the dogwood I see is in shrub form. It would be a b*tch to gather enough to make a cord. :lol: I'm hoping you have trees over there.

Matt

 

[Wood Duck]

Around here the largest dogwood, which is Flowering Dogwood-Cornus virginiana, rarely gets more than about 5 or maybe 6 inches in diameter. It is hard wood, but small. Most other species are even smaller. It is more of a novelty wood than something you can really count on to fill a wood pile.

 

[krex1010]

I cut two down in my yard, both were flowering dogwoods, and they both were rAther large for dogwoods. One was about 16" at the trunk and the other about 14". I probably have like a quarter of a cord or maybe third of a cord of the stuff, which I think it a good amount for such a smallish species. I will be saving it for overnighters in January and February

 

[billb3]

I've only had a couple of 4-6 inch dia branches at the largest and it burn s really well.
Hard as a rock, though.
If you're pruning with a hand saw it better be sharp or don't bother.

 

[madrone]

They're up to 24" and 30' tall here. Real trees.

 

[Wood Duck]

Those are giant dogwoods out west. I'll take a closer look at the ones around here, but I doubt I'm gonna find a 12 inch diameter tree.

 

[krex1010]

We have some bigger ones around here that were planted as ornamental trees in peoples yards, so some of those get pretty large because they are old and are in the middle of peoples yards with no competition. And I will second how hard the wood it, that stuff is rock hard

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Gee, I thought dogwood was all bark.

 

[Cluttermagnet]

Despite its few drawbacks, it is great wood. I always save all I come across, even branches down to 1 inch or so, for kindling. I often split rounds down to around 2 in diameter to get faster seasoning. I doubt I would ever pass up an offer of dogwood- it's that good.