Wood ID?

[nola mike]

Cut up an Irene casualty at my local park. There were a lot of small branches with leaves around the main section, but no leaves on the trunk itself. It appeared that there were 3 different kinds of leaves/branches. One looks like maybe red maple, one some type of oak, and I don't know what the third type is. I think the wood is maple. Any thoughts?

 

[Woody Stover]

Leaves on the left look like Black or Pin Oak, the middle set look like Red Maple. You could have some Red Maple there. Not sure about the leaves on the right, though...

 

[tickbitty]

I think that third kind looks like Willow Oak. Was the wood heavy as heck? That's good wood! (I got some here too!)

 

[krex1010]

To me the leaves look like pin oak, red maple and willow oak, the rounds look like red maple.

 

[TreePointer]

Rounds: From some type of red oak.

Leaves: Pin oak, red maple, willow oak

Note that pin oak and willow oak are types of red oak. The individual species often referred to as "red oak" is northern red oak (Quercus rubra).

 

[nola mike]

Cool. Wouldn't have guessed the willow oak. So TP, you think that the rounds are oak? Jeez, never thought I'd be turning down oak trying to get something else to burn this year. I actually went out of my way for some poplar. Got a bunch of white oak that I c/s/s, and am going to wait until at least next season. I'm now in a race with the city to see who gets all the downed trees in the parks. They're chipping it all up.

 

[TreePointer]

We don't have willow oak here, but I see it when I'm in the South or on the east coast. I often visit northern VA and I see it there a lot.

As for the rounds, split it and have a sniff. If oak, it should smell like oak boards at the lumber yard (or possibly like manure if it's diseased).

 

[krex1010]

I'd like to correct myself, now that I look at those rounds on a full sized screen they kinda look more like pin oak. That knot looks like a classic pin oak splitter stopper. They definitely don't look like willow oak rounds though.

 

[raybonz]

I don't know the difference between one oak type or another but it's Oak and all oaks are good firewood.. Let it season 2-3 years once cut/split and stacked off the ground and you'll love all the heat it gives..

Ray

 

[krex1010]

I don't know the difference between one oak type or another but it's Oak and all oaks are good firewood.. Let it season 2-3 years once cut/split and stacked off the ground and you'll love all the heat it gives..

Ray

If i remember correctly willow oak has a fairly blocky and furrowed bark. Pin oak is fairly smooth and with shallow grooves

 

[smokinj]

Looks like penoak to me smooth bark.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Pin oak it be.