The world’s worst tree

[precaud]

Here's an article trashing this invasive species:

(broken link removed to http://www.sandovalsignpost.com/aug07/html/around_town.html)

If you see one - kill it!

The ironic thing is, decades ago, our city gave them away for free to residents - on Arbor Day. Now they are taking over and we can't get rid of them.

 

[afblue]

Interesting a tree could be that aggressive that its becoming a problem. We are on the other side of the arborium. The Ash Bore Beetle is relentlessly killing off Ash trees.

 

[billb3]

Norway maple and russian olive here.
Not quite nuisance or ecological hazard, but very little value beyond fast growth for urban sprawl.
Flowering pears are on the poor choice list, too.
I planted an upright one that's not supposed to have the crotch breaking troubles and the grafted root stock is sprouting all around from the roots.

I cut up some old large russian olive this spring and stacked the small amount of (hopeful) firewood against a tree with no cover.
The olive rounds are sprouting new growth right in the stack. ( a rather wet Summer )

 

[precaud]

If I remember correctly, Russian olive makes for decent firewood.

 

[Wood Duck]

There are plenty of invasive trees that cause problems in the eastern US. Norway Maple will slowly but surely take over woodlands, pushing out native trees and smothering most shrubs and ground-level plants. Take a look at many urban woodlots and parks and you'll see that the only tree reproducing in many places is Norway Maple. The original large trees are still there, but the next generation of woods will be all norwegian. Other trees like Ailanthus or "Tree-of-Heaven" cause similar problems both in the east and all over the west. I think the solution to the Siberian Elm invasion is to cut it all, spray the stumps to kill them, stack the wood, and burn after a year or two. Same goes for Narway Maple, which at least makes nice firewood. Can't say the same for Ailanthus. Some places out west are invaded by Black Locust, which is native only in the east. If you have to have invasive species, it is nice when they are primo firewood.

I think Salt Cedar may actually be the world's worst tree. Has anyone burnt Salt Cedar aka Tamarisk?

 

[TreePapa]

My vote is for the above mentioned Ailanthus or “Tree-of-Heaven” which I call Tree of Hades. They grow like weeds around here, their seeds are round, sticky and obnoxious, and they're just plain ugly. They have little value as firewood, though I haven't experienced the foul odor others say they produce (maybe that's climate-related). Still, I like to burn "Tree of Hades" wood. For revenge!

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[wendell]

The world's worst tree is cottonwood.

 

[Adabiviak]

We have those trees of heaven here - pesky indeed. Coincidentally, I did see a particularly large one diced up next to a parking lot, and may have an in to legitimately getting some. I'm curious how it burns.

 

[Inwo]

The world's worst tree is cottonwood.

Ugh gotta agree.

 

[JBinKC]

We have those trees of heaven here - pesky indeed. Coincidentally, I did see a particularly large one diced up next to a parking lot, and may have an in to legitimately getting some. I'm curious how it burns.

Ailanthus has to be hands down the worst. The cockroach of the plant world. Its smells bad, grows like a weed, can easily propagate from root suckers, invasive, can grow out of limestone, and very difficult to eradicate.

For firewood it seasons in less than 6 months. It ignites very easily but a firebox full of the stuff will produce a flame for only 30 minutes tops so it even produces fewer btus than poplar or basswood. The odor of it while burning reminds me of burning tires. The wood doesn't produce any coals and leaves lots of fluffy powdery ash. Its best application for burning is either as an igniter piece or in conditions where it might be difficult to establish a draft and when the neighbors are confined indoors.


Unless the wood has been fully processed not laying around very long since it deteriorates quickly, within a very close proximity of your house, and have plenty of storage space would it even be worth your efforts.

 

[Wood Duck]

I am not saying that Cottonwood is great firewood, but it is native, has at least some value to wildlife, and is definitely not my pick for worst tree. I don't think anybody would trade a stand of Cottonwood for a stand of Ailanthus.

Does Siberian Elm make decent firewood?

 

[3fordasho]

I am not saying that Cottonwood is great firewood, but it is native, has at least some value to wildlife, and is definitely not my pick for worst tree. I don't think anybody would trade a stand of Cottonwood for a stand of Ailanthus.

Does Siberian Elm make decent firewood?

I've had some that was supposed to be siberian elm - split decently and burns just fine. The stuff I had was not dead from dutch elm, makes sense now that I've read in this thread that it's immune from it.

 

[wahoowad]

Alianthus (Tree of Heaven) burns OK in my book. It ain't hickory or oak, but burns easy and fast for when you need it. No worse than Poplar or Pine imho. It does have a greater-than-average tendancy to develop rot but not if you keep it dry.

 

[TreePapa]

I'd be happier than a pig in poop if all the Tree of Heaven in my area were magically switched to Cottonwood or Poplar. They might be shi**y firewood, but they're not tree-sized cockroaches!

Peace,
- Sequoia

 

[bigtall]

I don't know about alianthus, but down here sweetgum is the worst tree in the world, especially for firewood. It is very invasive and will choke everything else out. It is near impossible to split when wet, takes at least two years to dry, then it "chunks" and does not split well. Once it is dry enough to burn, it goes fast. Basically a whole lot of work or little to no reward. Also, talking to a wildlife biologist, it offers zero benefit to wildlife as it produces no mast and chokes out native species that do. She equated sweetgum to concrete.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

All the weed trees around here make decent to out standing firewood - Alder (decent) Broadleaf Maple (very good) Green Locust (outstanding)

 

[precaud]

Does Siberian Elm make decent firewood?

I have four large Siberian Elms on my property (hence my "love" affair with the species). I hate the stuff. It splits ok, stinks, leaves a bad taste in my mouth (really), has btu density on a par with cottonwood (i.e. low) and burns alot like it, leaves more ash than any wood I've seen, you have to remove the bark or else it just sits and smolders. I burn it in the shoulder seasons, and I'll be stuck burning it for another week or so. Sigh.

 

[dave11]

I can't believe no one has mentioned sassafras. Tall, fast-growing, and brittle as styrofoam around here. Yet the stumps last forever Huge branches come crashing down from even moderate wind.

Smells nice when you cut it up though.

As for Norway Maples, I must be lucky. I've got two large ones in my front yard that have never tried to spread. They must be sterile cultivars. Crimson Kings.

And Tree of Heaven is terrible as well. At least it doesn't get that big.

 

[3fordasho]

Box elder - grow like weeds, can't seem to support their own weight, almost always rotton and full of ants in the center, ugly, low btu, lots of dead branches falling off, seasons fast but seems porious and soaks up rain water, I could go on....