Tree ID

[BamaScroungr]

This looks like some kind of soft maple to me, but I'd like to confirm that because most of this tree fell on my next-door-neighbor's property last night. I'll get some limb pieces at least, whatever it is.



Thanks in advance!

 

[drz1050]

Definitely maple..

Looks like Red Maple to me

 

[njmeder]

Agreed, it's a maple. Soft, red, or swamp-think it depends where you live is what you call it. I've always called it swamp maple.

Great for cold starts, mixing in during reloads and great for shoulder season or mild temp burning. Grab as much as you can.

 

[BamaScroungr]

Good to know it's Red Maple, which is higher in BTU's than some of the other maple species. Thanks for the ID guys

 

[tigeroak]

It will be ready to go next fall if c/s/s now. I burn a lot of soft maple, great wood and it does burn hot.

 

[BamaScroungr]

At first I wasn't going to bother with it, since I already have a pile of silver maple in my backyard. But, yeah, I can't beat the convenience of bucking it and hauling it 50 feet to my wood pile! Now I just need to score a few truckloads of oak (or equivalent) and I'll be set for next winter.

 

[husky345 vermont resolute]

id say red maple

 

[Wood Duck]

The bark looks like Red Maple. Are you sure those leaves are from the fallen tree? The leaves appear to be Sugar Maple, or perhaps Black Maple. Black Maple is more rare than other maples and I don't know if it occurs in Alabama. Any maple is worth taking, in my opinion.

 

[Applesister]

Sugar or Red, you will be able to tell by the weight. If its a Sugar it will be very heavy. But does Sugar maple grow that far south?
Leaves are Sugar maple leaves, Black maple has an overlapping range around the Great lakes.

 

[Woody Stover]

At first I wasn't going to bother with it, since I already have a pile of silver maple in my backyard....Now I just need to score a few truckloads of oak (or equivalent) and I'll be set for next winter.

Keep stackin' soft Maple, Cherry and dead White Ash if it's for next winter....Oak needs a couple years, and that's if it's dead; Fresh-cut, more like 3 yrs to get dry enough to burn really well. 'Course, you can get away with a bit wetter wood with a Fisher...but 1-yr. Oak is gonna be a creosote bomb.

 

[BamaScroungr]

There were a few leaves still attached that I could compare with the leaves on the ground, and those leaves I was able to positive ID with a Google image search. Those leaves are shaped like red maple leaves, tho they might also be a match for other species. I've been trying to learn my tree ID's this year. I've learned that sugar maple isn't indigenous to the south, so if that's a sugar maple, then it's a transplant. As for the weight, I'll get an idea when I get over there Tuesday when the sun is out. I talked to the neighbor today as she's fine with me cutting myself some firewood.

 

[BamaScroungr]

Actually, Woody, I rent my property and the Fisher came with my half of the duplex. I'm on my third year scrounging and have yet to plan more than a year in advance. I'd take a more measured approach if I had equity in this place, but I don't. This year's oak and pecan spit out some moisture, but they still burn great. Guess I'll need to get the chimney cleaned this year tho, if one-year-oak is a "creosote bomb."

 

[TreePointer]

Those Forestry Service range maps for tree species indicate native range. According to the map for sugar maples, the range stretches to far southern Tennessee, so I wouldn't be surprised at all to see some in northern Alabama.

Also note that many species have been planted far beyond their native ranges. Black locust is a good example of a species that has a relatively very small native range, but is actually found coast to coast in the USA and Canada.

Check the buds on a twig and pay particular attention to terminal buds. They are different between sugar and red maples. See twig/bud pictures and descriptions in the link that follows:

http://uptreeid.com/Species/maples.htm

 

[Applesister]

I agree that trees are found outside of their natural ranges. Especially if you are farming. I bet sugar maples are globally planted. Ive personally pushed Peaches and Bayberry. I know first hand how far human intervention works. North and South.
Sugars I try to keep standing because my neighbor taps them. But if they fall...
Send us a close up of the leaves you believe are from the tree.
Or...just get cutting.

 

[BamaScroungr]

Update:

Worked late into the night yesterday and was going to sleep in this morning and eventually get around to bucking some choice limb pieces... instead, I'm woken up at 8am sharp by a city-contracted tree removal crew. Gah! By the time I'd gotten some coffee in me, all of those limbs had been ground up and destroyed. But they did leave me the big stuff.



I tried to roll one of those thinner rounds into my yard, but the damn thing was heavy and irregular, so I didn't get far with it. Hopefully I can get a friend to help me with those before the city takes them all away.



Of course I grabbed all the small stuff right away. Not a bad haul, considering my modest needs.



Tried to split one and my maul bounced right off! The rounds are pretty wet and dense at the moment. Guess I'll need to wait a month or two for this stuff to dry out. If red maple is anything like silver, it should fly apart.