# Whats the best tree to plant for firewood?



## BigBadJohn86 (Dec 10, 2011)

I was wondering if there was a tree that grew fast and provided good heat with a high btu rating. If I ever get rid of my five acres and get a bigger yard Id like to look into planting a section of woods big enough that by the time I go through it once for wood, theres already trees ready to be cut down a second time


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## weatherguy (Dec 10, 2011)

I thought osage orange grew fairly quickly, I may be wrong but I thought I read that somewhere.


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## Backwoods Savage (Dec 10, 2011)

John, you may find several places who advertise fast growing trees (hybrids) that can be used for firewood. My advice is to stay away from any type of a hybrid tree. The reason is that they do indeed grow fast but are pure junk for firewood. Case in point. We experimented with a few hybrid popple and elm. They did grow fast but were a pain in the rear all the way. They are weak, especially the popple and would simply break and you never know how high up the break will be. This, of course, is a danger. The elm did not break but we cut them as we feared they would as they started showing weak spots and sap would really run out of the cracks.

The two worst things as they are growing are the limbs and the roots. Roots grow on top of the ground a lot and go for a long ways. Branches are about as numerous as grains of sand on the beach! Now the good part. When you cut either of them you may want to plug your nose as they are extremely smelly and not good either. Sap literally runs out of them but 6 months later they are light as a feather. 

For other fast growing trees, poplar grows fast for one but again, it is not the best firewood. Basically anything that does grow fast will be in the softwood category.


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## chinkapin_oak (Dec 11, 2011)

You need to find out what type of soils you have first.  Some trees grow faster on bottomground, others grow faster on upland soils.
I'm a big fan of tulip-poplar (yellow-poplar) and silver maple.  They are low on the list of BTU's, but they sure grow fast.  You might get 3x - 4x the amount of wood from a silver maple than you will oak given the same growing time.  Plus they are super easy to split, and aren't as much of a pain as the hybrids are (like Dennis mentioned).
Your best best might be to mix it up - plant some oaks, locust, or osage on one part of the property, and silver maple or tulip-poplar on the other part.  keep asking around.


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## Battenkiller (Dec 11, 2011)

Black locust grows fast and is good firewood.


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## oldspark (Dec 11, 2011)

Ash would be another one.


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## nrford (Dec 11, 2011)

oldspark said:
			
		

> Ash would be another one.



Except for the fact that we have the EAB in this country now!


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## Nixon (Dec 11, 2011)

I've planted both black locust and Osage on my place . They both do well in poor soil and grow fairly quickly . The black locust does seem to grow a bit faster than the Osage,but not by much.


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## oldspark (Dec 11, 2011)

nrford said:
			
		

> oldspark said:
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 oops I forgot its not here yet.


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## oldspark (Dec 11, 2011)

Ash is out, Black Cherry grows quickly does it not?


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## yooperdave (Dec 11, 2011)

nrford said:
			
		

> oldspark said:
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yup-so you get to burn the ash even quicker


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## Brewmonster (Dec 11, 2011)

Another vote for Black Locust. Fast growing, artistic branching, and sweet-smelling, beautiful flowers in May. And the best firewood there is.


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## Flatbedford (Dec 11, 2011)

Black Locust. Grows like a weed, burns like coal. Easy to split too!


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## arborealbuffoon (Dec 11, 2011)

Generally, your location will have a lot to do with what grows well/fast. Therefore, an indigenous species will always give you the best bang for your buck so to speak. Just to mix it up a bit and add to the very good advice already posted I will throw out red oak as a suggestion. Biggest factor there is some well-drained upland ground. They actually grow pretty fast, and it splits super easy.


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## Oregon Bigfoot (Dec 11, 2011)

In the northern states, especially the Pacific Northwest, I'd go with Douglas Fir.

Oregon Bigfoot


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## Ehouse (Dec 11, 2011)

If you're swapping parcels, why not look for one with a good size portion of mixed hardwood saplings?  You could selective cut and have a good firewood mix without having to wait too long for a harvest.  You would also avoid the pitfalls of a monoculture stand.  At least in my neck of the woods, an "unimproved" brush lot sells for a lot less than cleared land or a mature woodlot.

Ehouse


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## Wood Duck (Dec 11, 2011)

If I were planting for firewood I would want a mixed stand of species. I would want not just firewood but also wildlife and I would want a mixed stand that would not be overly susceptible to the next exotic insect or disease we import. I would also want some evergreens just for wildlife and because they look nice in the winter.

I'd start with Black Locust. It grows fast, tolerates bad soil, fixes nitrogen so it helps improve the soil, casts a light shade that allows other trees to grow beneath it, resprouts when you cut, bees make honey fron the nectar, and the wood is about as good as firewood gets. The only problem with this tree is that is gets an insect infestation some years that makes it look sort of brown, but doesn't seem to do much other damage. I'd plant the whole area with Black Locust spaced at around 8 or 10 feet apart. This would allow me to plant other trees in between and thin the locust over time to allow the other trees room to grow. I'd also plant Some Osage Orange (just because it is native to the great plains and the firewood is supposed to be the best), plus a mix that includes a lot of the other native trees in your area. For evergreen I would probably choose Norway Pine (actually native, poorly chosen name). I would include the oaks that grow well in your area. Oaks are slow for the first few years, but are great wildlife trees and of course good firewood for your children. Most hardwood trees really aren't going to provide YOU with much firewood, they will take longer than that.


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## gyrfalcon (Dec 11, 2011)

BigBadJohn86 said:
			
		

> I was wondering if there was a tree that grew fast and provided good heat with a high btu rating. If I ever get rid of my five acres and get a bigger yard Id like to look into planting a section of woods big enough that by the time I go through it once for wood, theres already trees ready to be cut down a second time



I think you're looking for something that's a contradiction in terms.  The high BTU comes from the density of the wood, and the faster it grows, the less dense it is.


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## benjamin (Dec 11, 2011)

gyrfalcon said:
			
		

> BigBadJohn86 said:
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Willow or poplar, they'll be the firewood most likely to be ready to burn in your lifetime.  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kh04jdxIlQ&feature=related

Or forget the firewood and plant walnut, locust, cherry and whatever other woods you like for real value and cut the garbage for firewood.


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## Brewmonster (Dec 11, 2011)

_For evergreen I would probably choose Norway Pine (actually native, poorly chosen name)._

What is that? Not Norway spruce (_Picea abies_), right?  I do not know the common name, Norway pine.


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## cptoneleg (Dec 11, 2011)

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> John, you may find several places who advertise fast growing trees (hybrids) that can be used for firewood. My advice is to stay away from any type of a hybrid tree. The reason is that they do indeed grow fast but are pure junk for firewood. Case in point. We experimented with a few hybrid popple and elm. They did grow fast but were a pain in the rear all the way. They are weak, especially the popple and would simply break and you never know how high up the break will be. This, of course, is a danger. The elm did not break but we cut them as we feared they would as they started showing weak spots and sap would really run out of the cracks.
> 
> The two worst things as they are growing are the limbs and the roots. Roots grow on top of the ground a lot and go for a long ways. Branches are about as numerous as grains of sand on the beach! Now the good part. When you cut either of them you may want to plug your nose as they are extremely smelly and not good either. Sap literally runs out of them but 6 months later they are light as a feather.
> 
> For other fast growing trees, poplar grows fast for one but again, it is not the best firewood. Basically anything that does grow fast will be in the softwood category.






  Well someone brings that up ever so often How Stupid Can You Be nothing wrong with planting trees but grow your own Firewood you gonna be one cold Sucker>


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## cptoneleg (Dec 11, 2011)

Wood Duck said:
			
		

> If I were planting for firewood I would want a mixed stand of species. I would want not just firewood but also wildlife and I would want a mixed stand that would not be overly susceptible to the next exotic insect or disease we import. I would also want some evergreens just for wildlife and because they look nice in the winter.
> 
> I'd start with Black Locust. It grows fast, tolerates bad soil, fixes nitrogen so it helps improve the soil, casts a light shade that allows other trees to grow beneath it, resprouts when you cut, bees make honey fron the nectar, and the wood is about as good as firewood gets. The only problem with this tree is that is gets an insect infestation some years that makes it look sort of brown, but doesn't seem to do much other damage. I'd plant the whole area with Black Locust spaced at around 8 or 10 feet apart. This would allow me to plant other trees in between and thin the locust over time to allow the other trees room to grow. I'd also plant Some Osage Orange (just because it is native to the great plains and the firewood is supposed to be the best), plus a mix that includes a lot of the other native trees in your area. For evergreen I would probably choose Norway Pine (actually native, poorly chosen name). I would include the oaks that grow well in your area. Oaks are slow for the first few years, but are great wildlife trees and of course good firewood for your children. Most hardwood trees really aren't going to provide YOU with much firewood, they will take longer than that.





  But after my rude comments B/Locust is the answer for you Vampires that live forever and burn wood, and want to grow your own wood heck we have folks that don't have the patience to dry full grown c/s/s Oak Oh my my gosh I can hear it now.  I ain't going to wait 3 more years to season this Oak it took me 30 to grow it,  (Did you know an Oak takes 25 to 30 yrs to produce acorns.)


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## Ozark Woodburner (Dec 11, 2011)

You've been given some good advice.  Plant a mix of natives that will grow in your soil.  The fastest growing native oak that we can grow here is Pin oak.  Black oak is another good one, although not as fast growing.  Both are in the red oak family and will burn well.   You might look into that if it will grow there.  I'd use the web soil survey to get an idea of what will grow good there.  

A side note is that an overstocked sapling timber stand, will produce bigger, healthier trees if thinned at the right stage.  Typically, you will want to grow young timber in tight proximity and thin every 10-20 years.   I did a small scale reforestation project on my place and planted to many on purpose.   In about 10 years time, I will take out some trees, leaving a good spacing with my crop trees.  I will also take out culls.  I've got oaks 7" and 8" dbh on my place that are 60+ years old due to past mismanagement.


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## seeyal8r (Dec 11, 2011)

I would think anything that grew fast would have low density which would result in low BTU wood. Cottonwood grows fast but burns like paper.


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## Evil Dave (Dec 11, 2011)

Battenkiller said:
			
		

> Black locust grows fast and is good firewood.



+1

Black Locust grow like strawberries, they send out runners and sprout new trees as far as 50' away. You can fasten a chain to a 6" dia BL trunk and pull it with a bulldozer and make most of the surrounding and nearby BL jump as their roots feel the tug. Around here they seem to spread pretty fast, but I'm sure it would seem like an eternity if you are waiting to cut it. We have property in Central Indiana that was a corn/bean field 20 years ago with 7 or 8 BL in the North fence-row that we stopped farming, it now has spread some 100 to 150 yards from the fence-row to the south and covers about 2 1/2 acres of mostly BL and wild cherry. Fairly dense wild growth, and good competition for sunlight made some great firewood. The rest of the family see it as a nature preserve, I see it as a future fuel reservoir. Those original fence-row trees now measure 24" to 30" dia at the trunk and I can hear them calling to me as I burn some of their fallen comrades.

edit - The majority of this new woods probably averages 12" to 16" dia trunks slightly smaller toward the advancing edge of the woods. I don't think at 2 1/2 to 3 acres that I will have enough woods to be able to selectively harvest and maintane a production of 3 to 4 cords a year, but I hope it will stay ahead of me, time will tell.


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## oldspark (Dec 11, 2011)

Another thread that is headed for the sheeter, fast is a realitive term is it not, the fastest growing trees are low in BTU's however there are some that grow realitively fast that burn well. How long are you going to live where you are at and how old are you, I can add to my resume that I am burning trees I planted and some volunteers that I let go, my main planting was it 1980 or so and some of the volunteer ash, maple, and elm are much younger that that. The elms that sprouted up around here (not sure what elm) grew very fast but spliting can be a chore. What was my point I forgot.


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## Dunragit (Dec 11, 2011)

Willow plus pollarding for charcoal.  I believe the there is a small powerplant in England that is fueled this way.


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## Wood Duck (Dec 11, 2011)

Brewmonster said:
			
		

> _For evergreen I would probably choose Norway Pine (actually native, poorly chosen name)._
> 
> What is that? Not Norway spruce (_Picea abies_), right?  I do not know the common name, Norway pine.



Pinus resinosa is called Red Pine or Norway Pine.


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## Wood Duck (Dec 11, 2011)

seeyal8r said:
			
		

> I would think anything that grew fast would have low density which would result in low BTU wood. Cottonwood grows fast but burns like paper.



I found a USFS website that says Black Locust started from seed takes 15 to 20 years to produce post-sized trees. Sprouts grow faster. I think you could plant Black Locust from seed or small seedlings at pretty high density, then in 10 to 15 years you could start thinning then and getting useful firewood. The next cutting might be in ten years.

Growing firewood is a slow business.


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## woodchip (Dec 11, 2011)

Willow grows quite quickly here, the only disadvantage is that it does need a lot of water. 

If I could, I'd get a tree now, and take loads of cuttings myself. 

That saves a lot of money, and also you get the experience of raising your own trees, which will lead in to the knowledge of growing them. 

Nothing to lose in buying one tree now and experimenting. 

Except maybe $10, well worth the exchange for a whole load of experience and knowledge  ;-)


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## golfandwoodnut (Dec 12, 2011)

I would vote for locust.


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## ryanm527 (Dec 12, 2011)

I started a plot of future firewood to offset what I'm cutting now and opted to go with black locust and black cherry. I read a lot about the locust being great wood and a fast grower as well. I selected the cherry because I like the way it looks and smells. Being able to get the seedlings from Missouri Conservation Dpt for $4/bundle of 25 makes it easy and affordable to experiment.


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## cptoneleg (Dec 12, 2011)

I think you made perfect choices,  the Cherry is good firewood too.


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## firefighterjake (Dec 12, 2011)

I plant acorns . . . but I know I'll never get any use from them. 

I think if a person had land and wanted to be able to continually cut wood on it the best thing to do would be to selectively cut . . . taking out the dead wood and/or wood of a certain size while leaving wood behind to take advantage of the opening in the canopy and less competition. This seems to be the best practice . . . which explains why my family has been able to go back to the same area that they have cut over and over . . . just have to wait 10 or so years.

That said . . . if I was to plant trees . . . I would go with black locust based on what other folks have said . . . and in fact I have some black locust seeds that I plan to sprinkle about on my property.


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## Battenkiller (Dec 13, 2011)

ryanm527 said:
			
		

> Being able to get the seedlings from Missouri Conservation Dpt for $4/bundle of 25 makes it easy and affordable to experiment.



About 25 years ago a buddy of mine planted 1000 black locust seedlings from the nearby NYS tree nursery like you are talking about.  After about ten years they were already to start thinning out for firewood (I'd guess 30' tall and about 8" or so in diameter).  Haven't seen him in almost 15 years.  Those things must be enormous by now, but I'd be willing to bet he no longer burns wood.  He's probably stuck with a dense forest of locust by now, and nothing to do with it.  It's really hard to plant for the future.


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## jabush (Dec 15, 2011)

Battenkiller said:
			
		

> ryanm527 said:
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Yep, it's called coppicing.  If you planted a 400 foot long sretch, in staggered rows, along a fence line, eventually you would be producing a decent amount of firewood.  I believe locust is the preferred specie for firewood production.

http://www.countrysideinfo.co.uk/woodland_manage/coppice.htm


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## Wood Duck (Dec 15, 2011)

woodchip said:
			
		

> Willow grows quite quickly here, the only disadvantage is that it does need a lot of water.
> 
> If I could, I'd get a tree now, and take loads of cuttings myself.
> 
> ...



Willow does grow faster than almost anything else except poplars, but the wood of willow and poplar isn't nearly as dense as Locust. I'd sacrifice some growth rate for the improved wood quality with locust, cherry, soft maple, etc.


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## Duetech (Dec 15, 2011)

As long as you are looking for another place get one with wood already on it and plant locust. Honey or black. We almost bought a place with 10 acres of locust the guy had logged every 8 years for fence posts. The said he bought the place with the trees already there. He never removed the stumps and usually had suckers come up from the roots or off shoots out of the side of the stumps. He said he just pruned off the side shoots or mowed the root suckers he did not want and let the better ones grow. Once the base tree is grown enough to cut the orphaned root system will feed a developing tree fairly quick. He had quite a few wierd looking stumps to make it look like he new what he was talking about. I do know that at times . fresh cut black locust fence posts will shoot out side sprouts and the post will become a tree. Also roots that sucker can easily be a source for the next generation firewood lot. Honey locust flowers can be very fragrant in the spring.


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## Mr A (Sep 29, 2013)

Backwoods Savage said:


> John, you may find several places who advertise fast growing trees (hybrids) that can be used for firewood. My advice is to stay away from any type of a hybrid tree. The reason is that they do indeed grow fast but are pure junk for firewood. Case in point. We experimented with a few hybrid popple and elm. They did grow fast but were a pain in the rear all the way. They are weak, especially the popple and would simply break and you never know how high up the break will be. This, of course, is a danger. The elm did not break but we cut them as we feared they would as they started showing weak spots and sap would really run out of the cracks.
> 
> The two worst things as they are growing are the limbs and the roots. Roots grow on top of the ground a lot and go for a long ways. Branches are about as numerous as grains of sand on the beach! Now the good part. When you cut either of them you may want to plug your nose as they are extremely smelly and not good either. Sap literally runs out of them but 6 months later they are light as a feather.
> 
> For other fast growing trees, poplar grows fast for one but again, it is not the best firewood. Basically anything that does grow fast will be in the softwood category.


 This is interesting. I have a few cords of fruitless mulberry, a fast growing hybrid. I read a lot of people say mulberry is good hot firewood, but I guess I will have to see for myself about fruitless mulberry


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## midwestcoast (Sep 29, 2013)

Whatever the OP chose to plant, they are 2 years old by now...


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## begreen (Sep 29, 2013)

I agree with the black locust vote. It is a fast growing, dense wood and my favorite local hardwood for long fires. We have eucalyptus on the property which grows very quickly, but it is a real pita to split. Anyone grow any paulina? That is supposed to grow exceptionally fast. A 60 ft tree in 20 yrs. is not unusual.


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## billb3 (Sep 29, 2013)

midwestcoast said:


> Whatever the OP chose to plant, they are 2 years old by now...






Oak  as long as the grandchildren are willed the land they are planted on.


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