Alien Wood
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CincyBurner
Minister of Fire
CincyBurner
Minister of Fire
Definitely get some.
Burns more like coal than wood. It's Hamburger Helper for your woodstove. A couple splits extends coaling period hours.
It makes start-ups easier during shoulder season too.
I brought up a 1/4 cord to house this weekend while we still had a bit of snow on the ground.
Burns more like coal than wood. It's Hamburger Helper for your woodstove. A couple splits extends coaling period hours.
It makes start-ups easier during shoulder season too.
I brought up a 1/4 cord to house this weekend while we still had a bit of snow on the ground.
Caw
Minister of Fire
Around here we have sumac that is the same color. It's an invasive and very sappy tree that is poor quality firewood. I don't even burn it in the fire pit I just leave it to rot in the woods. They can grow over 10 feet in a year and send out long and deep runners, very annoying to get rid of. They are pretty in autumn but not worth the effort they are just too invasive.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
There 2 kinds of sumac, poison sumac is grown on a vine and a terrible plant, sumac tree's on the other hand are not poisonous, but they are a very poor firewood, the tree's form red stalks that then puff out and go everywhere, the tree's are very good at planting themselves to, over by me every year I pull out about 50 of the seedling trees, pull one out and find 3 more, the tree's as caw has stated will grow 10ft a year to.
kennyp2339
Minister of Fire
Great fireood, split and store for 2 years then wait for a cold night, this is natures version of oil when it burns in a stove.
Strange American nomenclature... different species (Rhus vs Toxicodendron) with the same name. No wonder foreigners (me) are confused
Caw
Minister of Fire
Ha yeah we are weird here. Just look at the English measurement system! Sumac trees can be used for culinary purposes. The red fruit it produces can be used to make drinks...it's an old native American classic. It's actually not bad, but, they are SO invasive it's not worth keeping them for beauty/food. We have cut down over a dozen since moving here last spring and there's so many more to go. They line the back side of our propery and along with thorn bushes are constantly invading the edge of our yard. I get out my machete and go to town and we pull up whatever roots we can as they spread with runners under ground.
Poison sumac is just like poison ivy. Thankfully we don't see much here but I live on a freaking poison ivy farm.
Poison sumac is just like poison ivy. Thankfully we don't see much here but I live on a freaking poison ivy farm.
Poison ivy is the only thing i'll break out the round up for. For small vines i'll hit it with the weed burner, Making 100% Sure to be Upwind. Also have pulled it with plastic grocery bag over hand (like dog poop style) but only for very small new growth. Got to keep after it.
CincyBurner
Minister of Fire
As a child our 4H beekeeping group used staghorn sumac to generate smoke in our hand-held smokers. A couple of puffs toward the bees while we were working on the hives kept them docile, or disoriented for a bit. And we used the drupes to make 'pink lemonade'. And it's been used in cuisine (often Middle Eastern dishes) for centuries.
Sumac is in cashew family, and poison ivy was once categorized in same genus Rhus, but since recognized as Toxicodendron.
Grizzerbear
Minister of Fire
Sumac trees are pretty in the fall....not much else to say about them other than that lol. Deer like to knip on em some too. Man I can't stand the smell when you cut them. The Missouri department of conservation sells trees from it's nursery and they have a "aromatic sumac" that is supposedly native.....though I can't say I have ever seen one. I've always passed on them. Being that normal sumac trees are so aggressive I didn't want to open a can of worms. Tordon on the fresh cut is about the only way I have seen to get rid of them. I don't like using chemicals but they do have their place if used responsibly.
Lesson learned...
My dad also used the dried flowers in his bee smoker (this, of course, we didn't call it sumac). He uses a simple plant sprayer with water now.
My dad also used the dried flowers in his bee smoker (this, of course, we didn't call it sumac). He uses a simple plant sprayer with water now.
Caw
Minister of Fire
If I remember I'll take some pics of my woods this spring and the crazy sumac invasion I defend against annually and post it here. It's something alright.
Doublebogey
Burning Hunk
I
I cut both and they are in the same family, but the bark is different. The bark on hedge is thinner. If you are cutting green hedge you will get white sap which contains latex all over everything. It makes a mess on your clothes and saws. Once seasoned the hedge will still be almost as heavy as it was green. Mulberry will have lost considerable weight.
