Cottonwood...sucks to split...burns just fine!

[Iembalm4aLiving]

A few falls ago, we had a giant cottonwood tree taken down. Giant, as in 36+" wide rounds. I had the tree company cut it into 18" lengths....the tree guys told me it was crappy firewood. I listened, but I couldn't just let the wood rot. So, I painstakingly split it up.

Oh, how it sucked.....stringy as heck, wet as a swamp, and it smelled bad, too. Even with a splitter, it fought me every step of the way.

When we had that cold streak last week, I thought I'd give it a try. To my surprise, it burned just fine. Doesn't last as long as the more desirable hardwoods, but for those not-so-cold days, it fits the bill just fine.

I can see why scroungers pass it up. If you've got better woods available, I'd pass as well. But if you're stuck for wood, it WILL burn just fine.

 

[Ehouse]

A few falls ago, we had a giant cottonwood tree taken down. Giant, as in 36+" wide rounds. I had the tree company cut it into 18" lengths....the tree guys told me it was crappy firewood. I listened, but I couldn't just let the wood rot. So, I painstakingly split it up.

Oh, how it sucked.....stringy as heck, wet as a swamp, and it smelled bad, too. Even with a splitter, it fought me every step of the way.

When we had that cold streak last week, I thought I'd give it a try. To my surprise, it burned just fine. Doesn't last as long as the more desirable hardwoods, but for those not-so-cold days, it fits the bill just fine.

I can see why scroungers pass it up. If you've got better woods available, I'd pass as well. But if you're stuck for wood, it WILL burn just fine.

Yup.

 

[Augie]

I have has no issues with it, have about 3/4 a cord for this season ready to go and 1/2 cord seasoning for next. I actually enjoy the quick light up for warming up the stove. I will be using it throughout the winter for that very thing. Getting a cold stove up to 350-450 stove top and flue temps before raking coals forward and adding denser woods.
I have been getting decent burn times so far.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

There are some who burn only cottonwood. You are right in that it can be a bit testy to put up but there is still some good heat in that stuff. Best to burn during the daytime though.

 

[firefighterjake]

It's like a lot of those less than desirable wood species -- willow, poplar, pine, etc. -- burns fast, but truth be told it will burn once seasoned and will make BTUs which will make you warm.

Just like the song though . . . for every species there is a season . . . and for these "softer" woods that tend to burn hot and fast that time is now in the Fall . . . and again in the Spring.

 

[Charles1981]

My entire property (20+) acres is infested with huge cotton woods 90+ feet (I bought a swamp). Monsters. I drop about 1 a year get 1.5-2 cords per tree.

I'm surprised by your frustration splitting it. My maul goes through it like butter. I have seen other posts where people have difficulty splitting it and then others chime in that that is not their experience.

I love the stuff because it is free, i burn it in the shoulder season, and it dried exceptionally fast (in my experience).

Instead of burning 6 chords of hardwood a year I only go through 3-4 because of all the cottonwood i mix in in the shoulder months.

And it is the perfect wood for stoking a cold stove with minimal embers in the morning if you split it small.

 

[PSYS]

Good information! We have some massive cottonwood trees in the area and I actually passed a couple of rounds up two weekends ago...

 

[Paulywalnut]

I know if you buy a truckload of logs they try and throw some cottonwood in there.
Years ago I got a load with about 50% cottonwood, they did actually come back and bring me some other hardwoods
and told me to keep the cottonwood too.

 

[Insomnivore]

My tree lots have plenty of cottonwood that falls on it's own for no particular reason throughout the year. At first I would be disappointed to find it was C-wood but after 17 seasons of burning it I've come to like it. I have no issues splitting it by hand and actually prefer the smell of it burning to many other woods. Kinda of a musky, patchouli odor.

The bark does have a stringy, slimy base layer to it that can be annoying to remove but other than that I'm a big fan. I usually chuck the bark before I bring it inside so maybe that's where the stink comes from. It seems to grow best in flat, wetter areas* and has an amazing ability to topple over in the slightest of breezes. Hard to believe nature has allowed it flourish but I guess it fills some niche. Neighbor trees are white oak, swamp maple, pines, and some cherry*.

That being said, I'll take any free cottonwood in the NW CT / Dutchess Cty, NY area.

*Unscientific observations.

 

[930dreamer]

Big Cottonwood's are very common in my neck of the woods, the one two doors down towers over the house and some day it's going to fall.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

My entire property (20+) acres is infested with huge cotton woods 90+ feet (I bought a swamp). Monsters. I drop about 1 a year get 1.5-2 cords per tree.

I'm surprised by your frustration splitting it. My maul goes through it like butter. I have seen other posts where people have difficulty splitting it and then others chime in that that is not their experience.

I love the stuff because it is free, i burn it in the shoulder season, and it dried exceptionally fast (in my experience).

Instead of burning 6 chords of hardwood a year I only go through 3-4 because of all the cottonwood i mix in in the shoulder months.

And it is the perfect wood for stoking a cold stove with minimal embers in the morning if you split it small.

Charles, you remind me of a neighbor we had when I was a young lad. He had no woodlot but had several cottonwood in his fence lines and along a creek. One or two of those big things would heat his house all winter. Finally when he ran out of cottonwood, he destroyed his apple orchard. But it was getting old anyway and he wanted it cleared. When that was all gone, he put in an oil furnace. He also about froze from that point on.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Big Cottonwood's are very common in my neck of the woods, the one two doors down towers over the house and some day it's going to fall.

We find a few around here too. That is my wife by the tree and laying on the stump.

 

[Iembalm4aLiving]

We find a few around here too. That is my wife by the tree and laying on the stump.

View attachment 116423 View attachment 116424

Wow, that's huge....mine wasn't that big...

 

[Paul L]

I haven't hooked up my new epa rig yet but in the old insert the biggest downside to cottonwood was the big fluffy ash residue. Don't know if the new stoves burn that down better.

 

[Charles1981]

not really...still big fluffy's in the morning with an EPA stove but I have an ash pan on the bottom it just drops through with ease.

I hope I'm NOT just like you neighbor I just use it to supplement my heat and have 2-3 lots i harvest from for free when I have the time, and then I order a 5 cord load of log length ash a year. I have counted 48 standing cotton wood on my property (and 18 down however these are a pain to haul out of the swamp unless its frozen in the middle of winter). I don't think I will run out and I don't rely on it soley

Your neighbor almost sounds like a cautionary tale of poor forestry management.

 

[STIHLY DAN]

Cotton wood and willow, they may burn. But if you are a scrounger they are heavy as hell, hard to split. Then when dry light as a feather. The effort to get and haul is just not worth it. If its on the property tho and you have to get rid of it might as well get some heat from it. Careful as they tend to like to re absorb water.

 

[tomahawk]

My issue with it has always been the smell of it when burning. Always smelled like a burnt urine to me. I have some throughout the wood shed and will put it in the stove but only if I don't plan on going outside during the day.

As far as splitting it I have never had any issue, but I always do it right after I fall it.

 

[Augie]

Careful as they tend to like to re absorb water.

I have noticed this with the less dense woods, they quickly get wet when not top covered. It is just a couple of inches on the ends but it is wet all the same.

Regardless cotton wood and willow are in my burning mix for sure.

 

[maple1]

As long as it's not rotten, I'll burn anything that's blown over or dead and I can easily get to.