Four years ago I bought a load of firewood that had a lot of large splits with a very rich red color that’s consistent all the way through (no lighter sapwood near the edge). They were heavy, and really hard to get to burn in my wood stove (my experience is mostly with white oak, which is no problem). I wrote it off to “not seasoned enough” and put it aside. Now, they’re still heavy, still slow to start (although better), and eventually reduce to coals without throwing off a lot of flame. I’m in northeastern mixed deciduous forest, mostly oaks, ash, and maple, with some pine and hemlock mixed in. But some of the firewood for sale around here comes from orchards and tree services (which may be dealing with non-natives planted around people’s houses). I think it’s probably not cherry because most of the orchard trees would be small-ish and these splits are big, and because it seems like a good-size cherry tree would be worth more to a sawmill than a firewood vendor. Picture below. Any idea what this could be?
![[Hearth.com] Wood ID: red, dense, very slow seasoning](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/img_1509-webp.322387/ "[Hearth.com] Wood ID: red, dense, very slow seasoning")
Wood ID: red, dense, very slow seasoning
- Thread starter TwoCoasts
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
Show us some bark.
I would agree, the heartwood looks like cherry (specifically, black cherry, which is not what grows in orchards). It can get quite large -- a few feet in diameter. However, I do not find black cherry to be particularly dense, and it lights and burns nicely. So that confuses me.
I would agree, the heartwood looks like cherry (specifically, black cherry, which is not what grows in orchards). It can get quite large -- a few feet in diameter. However, I do not find black cherry to be particularly dense, and it lights and burns nicely. So that confuses me.
Dieselhead
Minister of Fire
I could also be wrong about it being cherry 😂 but it does look comparable to other cherry ID posts on here..
I got loads of black cherry near me and dense and very slow seasoning is very unlike it. It seasons in about a year for me and dries very light.
Bobbob
Burning Hunk
It does look like cherry, but the fact that it is dense and hard to burn would make me think it's something else. Perhaps black walnut or black locust. I burn a lot of cherry ( at least 3 cords a year) and it always seasons fast and burns easy
Solarguy3500
Feeling the Heat
It sure looks a lot like this piece of cherry I have right here.
![[Hearth.com] Wood ID: red, dense, very slow seasoning](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/322/322474-85a118818cb3629870937ecc183ff38d.jpg?hash=U3kKEynNcP "[Hearth.com] Wood ID: red, dense, very slow seasoning")
In general, cherry seasons fairly quick and usually is not particularly dense. That being said, I have noticed that the heartwood splits from larger diameter cherry can be quite dense and heavy. This piece I have here is a perfect example. Much more dense and heavy than most of the cherry I have.
In general, cherry seasons fairly quick and usually is not particularly dense. That being said, I have noticed that the heartwood splits from larger diameter cherry can be quite dense and heavy. This piece I have here is a perfect example. Much more dense and heavy than most of the cherry I have.
Locust due to the "heavy and hard to burn" description. I'm burning lots of locust right now that looks like this in color and grain, and it is hard to start but eventually does burn hot.
Smoke from a cherry log burning smells nice and sweet. Wife and I like to go out on the patio with a cup of hot cocoa and sip it as we smell the smoke from Cherry and/or Yellow Birch drifting down from the stove pipe on damp cold days. A 20 min. slice of Heaven.
Doublebogey
Burning Hunk
Don't know how prevalent it is in your area but that piece looks exactly like pear to me. Here is a picture of a couple splits I brought in tonight. Pear is quite heavy and dense even 2 years seasoned and it's not the easiest wood to light off but it burns hot.
![[Hearth.com] Wood ID: red, dense, very slow seasoning](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/323/323208-3d02815fd3d7147f2b2093d95a378b0a.jpg?hash=tkSxXxXFyr "[Hearth.com] Wood ID: red, dense, very slow seasoning")
Cherry is kind of easy to ID from the burning coals. Open the stove and let a good blast of air on the coals and it will 'spritz' little crazy fireworks style sparks out of the stove. I kind of dislike the wood for that reason.
