Wood ID (Smells like cedar)

[jlow]

Split some of this yesterday. I have yet to have any purple wood. It smells like cedar. Is it in fact, cedar?

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Jeff S]

Yes ,that is Eastern Red Cedar,the heart wood has a purple color when first cut or split and turns the dark red color you are more familiar with as it ages.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Surely looks like cedar to me.

 

[Rockey]

The correct answer is yes and no. It is definitly Eastern Red Cedar. Eastern Red Cedar does not belong in a cedar family though so it is a bit of a misnomer. It has some of the same characteristics of cedars - aromatic, non deciduous, rot resistant. Perhaps this is how it got its name.

 

[Wood Duck]

Yep, Eastern Red Cedar, which is actually a juniper. Dries to be very light, burns fast, lights easily, and smells great stacked by the woodstove. I have my indoor wood holder filled with red cedar all summer - looks neat and smells great.

 

[stint9]

All that red makes for long lasting, slow rotting fenceposts

 

[midwestcoast]

And great kindling.

 

[maplewood]

And great kindling.

Amazing kindling. It's almost all I use. When not knotty, it splits like a dream. Dries in about 15 minutes (I may be slightly exaggerating here...).
Happy burning.