Help with tree ID..shaggy bark

[sportbikerider78]

No leaves or splits to show off,,but if you can ID and its good wood, I can show splits as early as next weekend.

Very shaggy bark,,that is why I'm curious what it is.

Thanks!

 

[kinetic711]

Up here in the North we call that Ironwood. You might know it as Hop Hornbeam. It burns very hot and is called Ironwood for a reason. Keep an extra, sharp chain ready as you might find they dull quickly.

 

[sportbikerider78]

Cool..thanks for the info. Is it worth using as firewood when I live in a sea of maple and oak?

 

[weatherguy]

It's better than oak and maple, nice score

 

[Old puffer]

I wonder if this is in the same family as a shag bark hickory?

 

[English BoB]

Here it goes like weeds, but thats the biggest ive ever seen. Serious btus in that weed.

bob

 

[AmbDrvr253]

Ive NEVER seen hornbeam that large. Could be hickory or silver maple tho.

 

[weatherguy]

Every shagbark hickory I've seen is basically straight up like a telephone pole with branches off the main trunk. I assumed it's ironwood but possible to be silver maple.

 

[Jon_E]

That is without a doubt, hop hornbeam. The growth pattern also gives it away if the bark wasn't so obvious. That's a big one too. Most of the ones in my woods don't get much over 4-6" diameter before they die. One of the best firewood species in the northeast USA.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[baseroom]

Ironwood.....and that's the biggest I've ever seen! Burns like coal!

 

[sportbikerider78]

Nice. I'm going to admire for another week and split it up. It is tucked away in the woods and I'll never know if it is there or gone.

Thoughts on drying time?

Thanks guys.

 

[D8Chumley]

Sweeps rates ironwood #2 only behind Osage. I've never seen one, cool looking tree

 

[sportbikerider78]

Yeah...strange looking tree for sure. That is why it grabbed my attention.

 

[English BoB]

Every shagbark hickory I've seen is basically straight up like a telephone pole with branches off the main trunk. I assumed it's ironwood but possible to be silver maple.

X2 Just cut one down - straight as an arrow.

bob

 

[johneh]

Iron Wood for sure very hot and lasts a long time
We have them that big and bigger here . I only take
them after they die. Make sure you have a very sharp chain
and a strong back. The one in the picture is an old tree very
slow growing. Takes about as long to dry as Sugar Maple

 

[bfitz3]

It's great firewood, but given any other options, I'd leave it standing especially since it looks healthy and is the largest tree in the shot. If you cut it down, take branches much smaller than you normally would.