# Buckthorn as firewood?



## 3fordasho (Sep 14, 2010)

I recently was given permission to cut at a woodlot less than a mile from home.  A decent mix of white oak, black cherry, elm and a bit of ash.  Unfortunately I must clear a bunch of buckthorn to access the decent stuff.  Some of the buckthorn has reached 6" diameter and it seems like it might be worth while to process and burn  the larger diameter pieces as firewood.  Anyone else burn it and can comment on its qualities as firewood?


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## thewoodlands (Sep 14, 2010)

Click on link then look under Western Trees on the right, it seems it's a dense wood and good for burning.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...ckthorn+for+firewood&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

zap


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## SolarAndWood (Sep 14, 2010)

Do what you gotta do to get to the good stuff.  6", I don't care what it is, is a lousy way to make firewood.   Drop it for the access and push it into the woods.


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## ramonbow (Sep 14, 2010)

I have not burned much in a stove but know it is a very dense wood and should make great firewood. Several years ago before we got a wood stove we burned piles of it trying to get rid of it. Now I wish i would have saved it for firewood. I have a little in the pile waiting to be processed this fall/winter for use in 2012+. A 6" piece of buckthorn should make great fire wood, but as you get smaller your production goes down when it comes to splitting.  On the plus side buckthorn in understory is usually straight and fairly branch free for 10-15 feet.  It may be worthwile to make a sawbuck so you can lay a bunch of the smaller branches and trunks together and make better production.  Do yourself and the wood lot owner a favor and spray the stumps with undiluted roundup or stumpkiller to stop the buckthorn from coming back.  It will take a little extra time and a few bucks for chemical but it will be well worth it.


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## 3fordasho (Sep 14, 2010)

Ramon Bow said:
			
		

> I have not burned much in a stove but know it is a very dense wood and should make great firewood. Several years ago before we got a wood stove we burned piles of it trying to get rid of it. Now I wish i would have saved it for firewood. I have a little in the pile waiting to be processed this fall/winter for use in 2012+. A 6" piece of buckthorn should make great fire wood, but as you get smaller your production goes down when it comes to splitting.  On the plus side buckthorn in understory is usually straight and fairly branch free for 10-15 feet.  It may be worthwile to make a sawbuck so you can lay a bunch of the smaller branches and trunks together and make better production.  Do yourself and the wood lot owner a favor and spray the stumps with undiluted roundup or stumpkiller to stop the buckthorn from coming back.  It will take a little extra time and a few bucks for chemical but it will be well worth it.




I won't mess with it unless its 4-6"+.  6"+ is rare, most of it is 1-2" and that stuff goes in the brush pile.  I have burned a few pieces
from the fence row at the rear of my property, it seems to season pretty quick, low moisture content to begin with and density seems to be right up there.   I know what you mean about chemically treating, that stuff comes back with a vengeance.
Really quite annoying trying to clear a working area with this stuff around,  but if it's bigger I might as well throw in on the truck vs the brush pile.


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