Is this birch?

[GeoFire]

Thanks to everyobe last season
identify wood that i was scrounging up. I got lucky this year and have a neighbor taking down a really old huge tree. Theres at least 4 times as much wood remaining in their yard. But i got a bunch one evening last week. Hoping someone can help me identify this.

 

[stoveliker]

The bark looks like birch to me, indeed.

 

[GeoFire]

The bark looks like birch to me, indeed.

Yay thank you. Im going to borrow a friends splitter instead of using ths maul because i got a lot to process. Is their truth to it rotting quickly if left in rounds? How well does it split and dry out?

 

[stoveliker]

Rotting, yes.
Seasoning time; depends on how... I'd say at least a year.
When you have a splitter, you have nothing to fear...

 

[Solarguy3500]

It does look like birch. I was just splitting some today. Tree had fallen in the woods behind my house a while ago. Some of it was starting to get a little punky, but it'll still burn.

Does it smell like wintergreen when you split it? That's a telltale sign it's birch.

 

[gzecc]

Black birch is the bark smells like birch root beer when you tear it.

 

[Ctwoodtick]

I see a lot of black birch where I am. What I see in the pics is yellow birch. Very nice firewood

 

[Caw]

Definitely birch and yes it's prone to rot. Get it split, stacked, and top covered ASAP and you'll love it when it's ready.

 

[hickoryhoarder]

Looks like birch. I'm guessing yellow birch.

 

[gzecc]

Don't think I've ever encountered yellow birch.

 

[hickoryhoarder]

Don't think I've ever encountered yellow birch.

Sometimes the bark can have a reddish tint. It looks like birch. Can grow pretty big. Beautiful bark.

 

[Caw]

I've got a whole grove of them in my front yard by the pond. Like 7 or 8 12-15" diameter trees. Nice looking bark and leaves that go yellow and fall early in autumn. Haven't tried tried burn any yet but im keeping an eye on one of the trees that's on the back 9.

 

[PJ41]

Birch bark comes off in strips, makes great fire starters!

 

[hickoryhoarder]

I've got a whole grove of them in my front yard by the pond. Like 7 or 8 12-15" diameter trees. Nice looking bark and leaves that go yellow and fall early in autumn. Haven't tried tried burn any yet but im keeping an eye on one of the trees that's on the back 9.

If you have beavers, they may give you an assist. Where I worked yellow birch seemed to be a strong beaver preference.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Years ago we were on vacation in Vermont and behind a motel they had cut up a Yellow Birch tree, we saw it while we were taking a walk and my wife said "go ahead" meaning I could look at it lol! But I took it one more step, I went inside and asked them if I could have a round of it since I was into firewood and I never see Yellow Birch here in PA., they checked with the manager and they said that I could take one round lol! It burned very nice, I wish that I would find some around here but I don't.

 

[KindredSpiritzz]

looks like Ironwood to me

 

[hawkeye4771]

That stuff smells soooooooo nice when it's burning !! Get you your favorite drink and set up a chair outside as a log is burning inside and you'll find a little piece of paradise!!