Rhododendron?

Pretty soon I'm going to be taking out a MASSIVE rhododendron because we're re-doing the yard and installing a paver patio on the side of the house where it now grows. The "branches" of the bush are pretty robust as is the central "trunk"-taking it out is definitely going to involve a chainsaw. Anyone think it would burn well?

I've got some that I have yet to burn, but a google reveals that it's the #1 choice for firewood in the Himalayas. Mine is about 7 months seasoned and seems pretty dense. I think it'll burn fine.

It will burn. Everything burns. I've put it in my kiln still green... hard to make a call on its burning characteristics.

Consider a back-hoe for the roots.

Did a similar project, paver patio where a 75 year old rhody had been.
Root mass came out of the ground with axes. Broken shovels. Have fun and good luck.

LOL-Who knew?

Re: the roots. In Dec 2005 we bought our house from a wanna-be real estate tycoon woman who flips houses. The house had been owned by one family since 1948, and was built in 1910. There were rhody's in front of the house that reached the peak of the house (neighbors gave us pictures). I'd say... 16' tall by 22' wide. This woman's one and only act before she put the house back on the market was to cut those rhody's down and drag the branches over behind the garage.

That 'flower bed' proceded to go to all weeds the next year, and the next... but we said, hey, let's see if the rhody's grow back. Low and behold, they did. And boy are they ever. In just 2 growing seasons, one of the bushes is already about 5' tall, 6' around, and very thick and lush.

Rhody's typically grow pretty slow.

I've wondered about this too but have never had a chance to try it. Rhodys are in the same family as madrona, which is about the best firewood on the planet. Burn it and report back.

Best firewood on planet Washington State at least

I'd put madrona against any of that scrub brush that grows on the east coast.

Saying "best firewood in Washington" is like saying "best beer in Germany" or "fastest car at the Porsche dealer"

LOL- ya, WA is the capitol of good firewood with all that pine. I guess it's in the same ballpark as white oak, not sure how it does against black locust, less than osage (we don't have osage).

On the west side (of this state) we have some pine but Doug Fir is the staple burning species. We have a tree we call locust (some call it hawthorne) and it's outstanding.

We also have locust out here in NY and use it for fence posts. It is a very dense and rot resistant wood. One corner fence post was put in by my father in laws father well over 80 years ago and has many years left of holding the fence up. It truly is impressive wood.