Neighbor's wood id

[Tom Wallace]

I noticed my neighbor put a sign in front of a bunch of rounds in front of his house. Just curious if anyone knows what kind of wood it is before I go grab it. It's got an odd bright orange ring just inside the bark.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Looks like Black Locust to me but I've never seen it oozing orange like that, I presume it is the sap?

 

[nrford]

+1

Looks like Black Locust to me but I've never seen it oozing orange like that, I presume it is the sap?

 

[pernox]

Third on the black Locust. Quit typing and go get it!

 

[Tom Wallace]

Thanks all. I picked up a truckload after work. This stuff is very light. Extremely easy to split and has an unpleasant odor. I've never had black locust before, as it's fairly uncommon in the Seattle area. I'd expect it to be much heavier than this. Are the attributes I mentioned (smell, easy to split) consistent with black locust?

 

[Tom Wallace]

Here are a couple pics of some fresh splits. It has a rather bright yellow grain to it inside. I'd be thrilled if it really is black locust, but the fact that it's really light leads me to believe it's something inferior to it.

 

[DuaeGuttae]

I had some similar looking wood (without the orange-- fungus?) recently. Lots of older threads identified such stuff variously as black locust, sassafras, chestnut oak, or cottonwood. Light makes me say either sassafras or cottonwood. Location makes me say cottonwood.

Now before your bubble actually bursts, though, let me say that I don't think I've ever knowingly seen a cottonwood in real life. I hope others will chime in now that you've supplied the information about weight and smell.

 

[Jags]

@nrford - (and PA) you sure you don't want to take a second look? Black locust ain't gonna be in the "light" category. I don't often second guess, but this one I am.

My vote is cottonwood (semi dry, born on the north of a gentle slope with questionable drainage. )

 

[Tom Wallace]

Well, I guess I'll hope that it's sassafras rather than cottonwood. I've had cottonwood before, but I don't remember the bark being nearly this thick on it. The inside grain being pale yellow sounds like cottonwood, though.

While I was picking up the wood, I got a look at the stump. Was about 3' wide with a hole in the center around 8" diameter, surrounded by rotting wood.

 

[Jags]

Cottonwood can have seriously thick, and channeled bark on an aged tree. That is actually one of the traits that is pointing me to make the call I am making.

 

[baseroom]

Agree withJags. Location and weight of the wood. Old cottonwood can have that deep bark.

 

[firefighterjake]

I had some black locust once that was much lighter than I expected . . . it was a bit surprising actually . . . and it was definitely locust, not cottonwood.

 

[Jags]

Agreed that locust can have different variations (bark, color, etc.), but I have never heard anyone describe it as light. That one still has me scratching my head.

 

[jackatc1]

Greenish hue screams Poplar/Cotton Wood.
As shown in second set of pictures.

 

[iron]

i'd say cottonwood. if the smell is like cat piss, well...

 

[PA. Woodsman]

@nrford - (and PA) you sure you don't want to take a second look? Black locust ain't gonna be in the "light" category. I don't often second guess, but this one I am.

My vote is cottonwood (semi dry, born on the north of a gentle slope with questionable drainage. )

Yes I made my call before he posted that it was light, and looking at it now I would say Cottonwood also; if it was Sassafras it would have a somewhat "pleasant" odor, not unpleasant like he described.

Good call!

 

[nrford]

@nrford - (and PA) you sure you don't want to take a second look? Black locust ain't gonna be in the "light" category. I don't often second guess, but this one I am.

My vote is cottonwood (semi dry, born on the north of a gentle slope with questionable drainage. )

Cottonwood is a good bet, splits look way different from original post

 

[Tar12]

Doesn't look like any locust I have seen around here.

 

[ohlongarm]

I had some similar looking wood (without the orange-- fungus?) recently. Lots of older threads identified such stuff variously as black locust, sassafras, chestnut oak, or cottonwood. Light makes me say either sassafras or cottonwood. Location makes me say cottonwood.

Now before your bubble actually bursts, though, let me say that I don't think I've ever knowingly seen a cottonwood in real life. I hope others will chime in now that you've supplied the information about weight and smell.

Hate to bust your bubble that's cottonwood locust is heavy and yellow,hey cottonwood is mostly what natives Americans burned back in the day.

 

[NaturalCauses]

Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago. Someone posted on CL about loads of oak. Looked similar to red oak bark, but super light. After bringing back a full trailer I learned the error of my ways.

 

[mcdougy]

Willow ?

 

[greg13]

They look like fresh cuts to me. Willow & cotton wood should be full of water if they were just cut. That's all those trees are good for, sucking water out of the ground.

 

[Wood Duck]

That isn't Black Locust. I think Cottonwood. There probably are not many Sassafras trees in Seattle. If there is even one I'd be surprised. Sassafras isn't commonly planted in yards, and it doesn't grow wild out there.

 

[rwilly]

Definitely not Cottonwood. Cottonwood has a very dark center. The bark has a Locust look to it, but the light weight and the orange ring are not typical of Black Locust.

Large growth rings.
I've never seen anything with that orange sap ring.
I'm guessing some type of ornamental.

 

[Woody5506]

Black locust has a nice scent. Almost like raw green beans. Definitely not a foul odor.