1. Welcome Hearth.com Guests and Visitors - Please enjoy our forums!
    Hearth.com GOLD Sponsors who help bring the site content to you:
    Jotul Cast Iron Stoves
    Woodstock Soapstone Stoves
    Hearth and Home (QuadraFire and Harman Stoves)
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. cocey2002 New Member

    joined: Dec 28, 2007
    138 posts
    Central PA
    I think it is possibly a Birch tree. Leaves are all off so I didn't get to see one of those. It's growing in my swampy woods. Any help appreciated.

    Attached Files:

    #1

    Helpful Sponsor Ads!



  2. Jags Super Moderator

    joined: Aug 2, 2006
    11,309 posts
    Northern Illinois
    Birch!
  3. smokinj Minister of Fire

    joined: Aug 11, 2008
    15,420 posts
    Anderson, Indiana
    birch
  4. cocey2002 New Member

    joined: Dec 28, 2007
    138 posts
    Central PA
    Any particular type of Birch?
  5. PA. Woodsman Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 26, 2007
    642 posts
    Emmaus, Pennsylvania
    Possibly a young Black Birch or "Cherry" Birch as we call it.
  6. cocey2002 New Member

    joined: Dec 28, 2007
    138 posts
    Central PA
    Awesome- Thanks
  7. Adios Pantalones Minister of Fire

    Break off a twig and scratch through the bark with your fingernail. If it smells like rootbeer and wintergreen, then it's black birch. If not, maybe grey birch.
  8. CowboyAndy New Member

    joined: Feb 29, 2008
    744 posts
    Chateaugay, NY
    It looks more like grey to me, usually pretty similar to young sugar maple. When I first started cutting wood and leaerning about trees I would confuse the 2 all the time.
  9. cocey2002 New Member

    joined: Dec 28, 2007
    138 posts
    Central PA
    I do smell a faint wintergreen scent.

    Eitherway I guess it is good firewood to mix in with oak.
  10. Corey Minister of Fire

    joined: Nov 19, 2005
    2,009 posts
    Midwest
    If it's black birch, could be as good or better than oak! Gray birch - not so much, but it would still burn!

    Black Birch 27 MBTU/cord
    Gray Birch 20 MBTU/cord

    White Oak 26 MBTU/cord
    Red Oak 24 MBTU/cord
  11. cocey2002 New Member

    joined: Dec 28, 2007
    138 posts
    Central PA
    Here is another pic of the same type of birch 10 ft away. Maybe a better indicator of black or gray?

    Attached Files:

  12. PA. Woodsman Minister of Fire

    joined: Feb 26, 2007
    642 posts
    Emmaus, Pennsylvania
    I'm still thinking Black Birch...like I said also known as "Cherry" or "Sweet" Birch. Like Adios said you'll notice a terrific "wintergreen" aroma to it, and it's a fairly common Pennsylvania tree. Very good fuelwood; I also like it for kindling as it ignites easily-good stuff!
  13. fugazi42 New Member

    joined: Jan 22, 2008
    97 posts
    Connecticut
    It's Black Birch, Betula lenta, no doubt. Gray Birch, Betula populifolia, doesn't get that big. Gray birch also doesn't have those horizontal ridges that are typical of black birch. Black Birch makes excellent firewood. It dries vary fast, and burns incredibly well. It's my favorite firewood!

    Josh
  14. cocey2002 New Member

    joined: Dec 28, 2007
    138 posts
    Central PA
    Thats great news- thanks guys!
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page