Can't identify this wood...

[GrantC]

Last winter, after our big snow and ice storm here in Oregon, I was cutting up all of the downed trees. One of them I wasn't able to identify, and when I recently came across that wood while filling my woodshed I again began to wonder what it was.

It is a deciduous tree, and since it was winter there were no leaves to aid identification. The wood is exceptionally dense, and very hard; density when green was greater than oak. The bark is smooth and dark gray - no mottling or fissures in the surface.

The most striking thing about the wood is that it had a definite purple hue when split. The bast (inner bark layer) was even more purple - a very saturated shade. I've never seen anything quite like it - very distinctive!

As the wood seasons the purple turns to a pale yellow. It seasons very slowly - after 8 months in the hot sun and wind, this stuff is still 30% to 35% moisture, when the fir split and stacked at the same time is 12-15%. The very center is still purple, though a muted shade.

The battery in my digital camera was dead, so I couldn't take a picture today, but I'll post one tomorrow (if someone hasn't identified it yet!)

-=[ Grant ]=-

 

[Danno77]

could it be poplar?

 

[DavidV]

More dense than Oak? Not Poplar.

 

[GrantC]

could it be poplar?

I'm not an expert on all of the poplar varieties, but the wood is much harder and denser than I think of poplar being.

-=[ Grant ]=-

 

[Danno77]

i just can't think of anything that would be purplish other than poplar or cedar, but you said it was deciduous. I'm not the greatest at ID, so let's just give it a day or so and I bet somebody comes up with something.

 

[rdust]

Not much harder then oak, the bark sounds like beech, that's about it though. Once you get a picture it may help.

 

[GrantC]

i just can't think of anything that would be purplish other than poplar or cedar, but you said it was deciduous. I'm not the greatest at ID, so let's just give it a day or so and I bet somebody comes up with something.

Just to be clear - cedar is a red color with sometimes a slight purple cast, but this stuff was just purple. Very seriously purple. So much so that I was shocked when I started splitting the unseasoned pieces last winter/spring (whenever the heck it was.) It literally looked as though someone had stained it.

-=[ Grant ]=-

 

[rathmir]

I just had a cord delivered today (and to think it was actually a cord) and I have some wood that looks exactly like you are describing. I had 3 cords from two dif vendors last yr and didn't have anything that looked like that. Sorry I can't help with the ID though.

 

[vwboomer]

Could the color be from some sort of infection or disease? I cut and split some oak this past spring that was emerald green on the inside.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

I know that Plum is purplish inside; I wonder if that's what it is?

 

[Wood Duck]

How large was the tree? There are many species of tree that get to be perhaps 8 inches in diameter, but not much larger, and might not normally be considered a firewood tree. If you are looking at one of these species, then the list of potential candidates is longer than if you are looking at full sized deciduous trees in Oregon. Was this is the forest, where it is probably a native tree, or in somebody's yard, where there is a longer list of potential candidates?

 

[smokinj]

Purpleheart Wood

 

[WoodPorn]

Purpleheart Wood

I'm pretty sure Purpleheart is a tropical tree, it's also got an off white sapwood

 

[KeepItNatural]

Take a picture of it if you can.

 

[smokinj]

Purpleheart Wood

I'm pretty sure Purpleheart is a tropical tree, it's also got an off white sapwood

It is but my guess is as good as any lol

 

[DavidV]

Box Elder.

 

[Superlite]

Mulberry? not sure if you have it there but it turns purple after it is split and is very dense, much like locust.

 

[GrantC]

Went out and got some leaves from the suckers that have grown out of the stump. The best fit for both leaves and bark is Pacific (or Mountain) Dogwood.

This was independently confirmed by a local woodcutter who took one look at a piece of the wood and said "looks like Dogwood to me!"

I haven't been able to nail down anything about the wood itself, though. Anyone?

(Still working on pics...)

-=[ Grant ]=-

 

[Chief Ryan]

Last year i had some Walnut that when split was purple and yellow inside. It was very dense when green but has lightened up a lot since then and is no longer purple or yellow. Just brown.

 

[DavidV]

The dogwood here in Virginia is fantastic to burn. Very hot dense coals.