A little help with a Tree ID?

[avalondouglas]

I am new to cutting wood and new to identifying trees...especially without any leaf verification. I saw a tree on the side of the road after Hurricane Sandy (in NJ) last October and am not sure what it is (see pics). It's difficult to split and stringy. I would love some help, as I am clueless. Thanks in advance! I apologize for any redundancy in my posts as I'm newer to using this site as well and trying to understand it better!

 

[Paulywalnut]

Black Walnut. Split a few it should smell like an old grandmother's house.... Pleasantly musty.

 

[basod]

The bark looks a bit more like gum(kind of thick though) I've never got any large black gum but either sweet/black are stringy as heck when splitting.
The aged face of the rounds might be throwing some people off possibly post some split pics when you get around to it

 

[JOHN BOY]

Bark is thick like chestnut oak , but i dont think its that. Looks more like Sweet gum bark. wood from hell. Hav'nt had any that big thou

 

[avalondouglas]

Thanks for the input. I will post some pics of it split tomorrow. Much appreciated.

 

[ScotO]

I'm going to say black gum, too.......just like the tree I'm climbing on over in my avatar!
Notice the round in the upper right of the second picture. Looks like someone's already introduced an axe to it several times.......that'd be black gum!!

Thanks for the input. I will post some pics of it split tomorrow. Much appreciated.

hope you have some good hydraulics and a lot of patience!

 

[nrford]

Gum. It is for certain neither Black Walnut nor an Oak of any kind!

 

[pyroholic]

Gum. It is for certain neither Black Walnut nor an Oak of any kind!

Do you have any experience to back up that statement?

Just kidding, I can read your Sig, and value your input. Where was your mill at?

 

[nrford]

Do you have any experience to back up that statement?

Just kidding, I can read your Sig, and value your input. Where was your mill at?

Cadillac

 

[Wood Duck]

I think it is Black Gum. I am not sure exactly what makes me think Black Gum aside from the thick bark.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

If in doubt, split it.

 

[avalondouglas]

Thanks for all the input! Here are some pics of a piece split. It's a beast.

 

[basod]

See the zig-zag pattern on the right split - typical of both gum species. Elm will split like that as well(usually stringier), but you have black gum.
You might have better luck splitting the sides off - sometimes it'll pop apart on a growth ring easy...sometimes
Someday when you have hydraulics you'll just shear through the stuff

 

[avalondouglas]

See the zig-zag pattern on the right split - typical of both gum species. Elm will split like that as well(usually stringier), but you have black gum.
You might have better luck splitting the sides off - sometimes it'll pop apart on a growth ring easy...sometimes
Someday when you have hydraulics you'll just shear through the stuff

Thanks so much for the input...though not the desired tree id. Looking forward to more rounds in the future...with a better eye to pick them!