Butternut Canker

[Longknife]

I took this from the stump of a butternut I took down last spring. It was well dead before I dropped it.

I thought it gave a good perspective on the affliction that's wiping a lot of these trees out and really shows how the tree fought tooth and nail to stay alive. There was some serious growth to tryand heal over the cankers in the 8-9 nears since the tree first appeared to be stricken.

 

[Longknife]

With a little water splashed on:

 

[mrd1995]

I know it is not a good situation, but that would make a beautiful coffee table, night stand if it is large enough.

I see the box of screws now, it'd be a small table top.

 

[Grizzerbear]

I see those on oak trees often....it never seems to cause them to die or restrict their growth but that could be species dependent. I have heard that you can fetch a tidy sum for burls given the right species like walnut or oak.

 

[Sawset]

In the 70s, there used to be a lot of butternuts here. Dozens, and large old ones too. No more. The last one dropped over last year. And it was very beat up same as yours. All gone. I think there is still a bag of butternuts down in the barn that went unused, from 50yrs ago. Trying to crack them open was a challenge. And also removing anything useful inside. Grandparents would talk about collecting and using for baking. There must have been a trick that only now I may think of, but by the time I was old enough the knowledge was lost back then (roasting possibly?)

I see yours is about 30yrs old. That would sound about right around here also. A few nuts were dropping in the early 90s, but were very rare at the time, and none to be found after.

 

[Sawset]

From what I saw, the lesions made the wood miserable, not really something of value like true burls on say cherry or oak. I made a project in high school out of butternut, thinking it would be a nice connection to the ridges out back and the history of the place with butternuts all around. Nasty wood to work with. Splintered easy, bright white to start and didn't finish much different. Kind of a strange softness to it. Haven't worked with it since.

 

[Longknife]

From what I saw, the lesions made the wood miserable, not really something of value like true burls on say cherry or oak. I made a project in high school out of butternut, thinking it would be a nice connection to the ridges out back and the history of the place with butternuts all around. Nasty wood to work with. Splintered easy, bright white to start and didn't finish much different. Kind of a strange softness to it. Haven't worked with it since.

Yeah, the lesions aren't attractive unless you can somehow use the disfiguration to your advantage. Nothing like a burl. It gets really slimy and gross on the surface too.

Never been a fan of the wood either, but they're fine trees.

 

[Longknife]

I know it is not a good situation, but that would make a beautiful coffee table, night stand if it is large enough.

I see the box of screws now, it'd be a small table top.

Yeah, pretty small. Maybe a clock?

 

[Grizzerbear]

I'm not familiar with butternuts....we dont have them here... and assumed their cankers were the same as we call burls here on oaks and walnuts. They sure look pretty from the pic at least.

 

[Longknife]

I'm not familiar with butternuts....we dont have them here... and assumed their cankers were the same as we call burls here on oaks and walnuts. They sure look pretty from the pic at least.

They're essentially open sores that weep a musty black mould.