Hickory?

[Woody Stover]

Maybe its Pecan?

some type of hickory, it doesnt look like tulip wood exactly. Lol...but alot of things arent exact.

No, ma'am. Pecan is in the Walnut family and is very similar to Hickory; Pinnately compound and finely saw-toothed leaves. And the leaves don't say Tulip, by a long shot. The glossy leaves make me wanna say Blackgum (Black Tupelo.) Looks like it might be a smaller tree so that would explain the bark not fully developed, and the leaves not as oval as the bigger ones I see here. I would have though Blackgum might be hard to split but maybe not if it was small...

 

[Andy S.]

Looks like it might be a smaller tree so that would explain the bark not fully developed, and the leaves not as oval as the bigger ones I see here. I would have though Blackgum might be hard to split but maybe not if it was small...

I think the age thing may be causing difficulty. It was a mature tree in the woods. It had no branches left after it was blown in half during a storm a couple of years ago. The leaves shown are new growth coming out of a trunk that measures about 16" across.

I really hate to put a bad guess , but how bout pear ? I've been looking like crazy and so far that's what I've come up with

Thanks for spending time looking. I spent a while looking up Pear because of this post and everything comes up Bradford which I'm sure it isn't. Pyrus pyraster seems to be a European tree. Is Pear a forest tree in the mid-Atlantic? The leaves and bark look right.

 

[claydogg84]

I've got a dead pear tree I my backyard. Here's a picture of the bark if it will help - Sorry, no leaves.

 

[CincyBurner]

Not pear.
Leaves (entire margin, shiny, pointy tip) and twig look like black gum/ tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica).

Branching habit of tupelo is unique - wavy, graceful sweep, often near horizontal. Branches irregular.
Outstanding fall color
Never cut or split black gum.

 

[Andy S.]

The contrast between heartwood and sapwood has increased dramatically in the week it has been on the ground. It is beautiful wood whatever it is. It splits like soft Maple.

 

[Woody Stover]

Interesting that the heartwood is darkening like that.

Outstanding fall color. Never cut or split black gum.

That's hindering me as well; I've seen quite a few Blackgum "on the hoof," but never cut or split any since it has a reputation as hard to split, and I haven't seen any dead ones. Hickory has that rep as well, yet I've had some that wasn't bad at all to split as well as some that was impossible. But yeah, Blackgum leaves can turn a brilliant red in the fall, keep an eye out for that.
If it was in the woods it's likely a native tree, and somewhat common. Maybe there are others with similar leaves and bark in the immediate area, that you could get a couple more pics of?

 

[Andy S.]

Maybe there are others with similar leaves and bark in the immediate area, that you could get a couple more pics of?

OK. There is a smaller one within a few feet. Here is a leaf pic and a bark pic. Whatever this stuff is I ended up with just under 1/3 cord.

 

[Woody Stover]

OK, now I'm pretty sure it's Blackgum; That bark on the right is what I've seen here. It will weigh a ton if it's fresh, lots of water. Should put out medium heat, I think...

 

[Andy S.]

OK, now I'm pretty sure it's Blackgum

Thanks for hanging with me on this one, Woody. I would have felt lucky with 1/3 cord of Hickory but given what I've read about Black Gum I feel plenty lucky with how easy it was to process.

 

[Applesister]

So you guys decided on Blackgum?
And it was easy to split?
I saw the leaf pic on the bicycle seat and couldnt think of anything except Black gum. But I thought the wood was interlocked.
Maybe like elm sometimes you get straight grained trees?

 

[Applesister]

No, ma'am. Pecan is in the Walnut family and is very similar to Hickory; Pinnately compound and finely saw-toothed leaves. And the leaves don't say Tulip, by a long shot. The glossy leaves make me wanna say Blackgum (Black Tupelo.) Looks like it might be a smaller tree so that would explain the bark not fully developed, and the leaves not as oval as the bigger ones I see here. I would have though Blackgum might be hard to split but maybe not if it was small...

Woody, not really sure what you are saying here. I think you should check the internet or a tree resource guide.
Pecan is a hickory, you will confuse people with those statements. Hickories are all in the Walnut family, but Pecan's genus name is hickory. Sorry...I hate to argue with people. It makes me appear egotistical and small minded.

 

[Applesister]

I've got a dead pear tree I my backyard. Here's a picture of the bark if it will help - Sorry, no leaves. View attachment 158283

Claydog, I would love to see you post pics of the pear wood. Im very curious, if you plan on taking your dead tree down. I have Bartlets, Anjou,and Bosc but havent cut any of them yet.

 

[Andy S.]

So you guys decided on Blackgum?

As with Woody, thanks for hanging with me on this, Sis. The ease of hand-splitting "leaves" (pun intended) some doubt in my mind, but it's gotta be something and consensus seems to be building around Black Gum. Leave it to me to cut wood that creates a two-page thread over two weeks for an ID. Sorry!

 

[Woody Stover]

Woody, not really sure what you are saying here. I think you should check the internet or a tree resource guide. Pecan is a hickory, you will confuse people with those statements. Hickories are all in the Walnut family, but Pecan's genus name is hickory.

My go-to resource is the Audubon Society Field Guide. Yes, I'm aware that Hickory and Pecan are both in the genus Carya. I didn't mean to confuse anyone, but I think your confusion started before that. Early on, you stated that the first pic posted was of a simple leaf (you also said "there ain't very many trees with simple leaves" when, in fact, most hardwood trees have simple leaves.) The OP confirmed that the leaf was from the wood in question, but later you post that it's "probably some type of hickory" when that's not possible, given the simple toothless leaf. Quit trying to confuse us!

 

[claydogg84]

Claydog, I would love to see you post pics of the pear wood. Im very curious, if you plan on taking your dead tree down. I have Bartlets, Anjou,and Bosc but havent cut any of them yet.

Ill try to remember to send you some pics when I knock it down. I'm not exactly sure when I'm going to do it as of now.

 

[Applesister]

My go-to resource is the Audubon Society Field Guide. Yes, I'm aware that Hickory and Pecan are both in the genus Carya. I didn't mean to confuse anyone, but I think your confusion started before that. Early on, you stated that the first pic posted was of a simple leaf (you also said "there ain't very many trees with simple leaves" when, in fact, most hardwood trees have simple leaves.) The OP confirmed that the leaf was from the wood in question, but later you post that it's "probably some type of hickory" when that's not possible, given the simple toothless leaf. Quit trying to confuse us!

Im glad to see that you finally understand that Pecan is not a Walnut. If you check the Wood database it lists two different types of hickory. The true-hickories and the pecan-hickories, they are 2 sub groupings for hickory.
And NOT Walnut.
And yes, I was confused over this ID. I conceed.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

As with Woody, thanks for hanging with me on this, Sis. The ease of hand-splitting "leaves" (pun intended) some doubt in my mind, but it's gotta be something and consensus seems to be building around Black Gum. Leave it to me to cut wood that creates a two-page thread over two weeks for an ID. Sorry!

Hey don't worry about it, that's why we are here.... And the final verdict is?..........

 

[Andy S.]

And the final verdict is?.........

Easy to split Black Gum with our resident expert yet to weigh in.

 

[Woody Stover]

a two-page thread over two weeks for an ID. Sorry!

On the contrary, posting is slow this time of year and we need something to do when we're not getting more wood so any ID thread is welcome, the longer the better....I'll even be drawn into the occasional friendly disagreement.

And the final verdict is?

Easy to split Black Gum with our resident expert yet to weigh in.

My first thought was that nrford may not be familiar with Blackgum (Black Tupelo,) but I was surprised to see that Sweetgum is an important lumber tree, so maybe he is aware of Blackgum as well.

Im glad to see that you finally understand that Pecan is not a Walnut.

The term "family" is used loosely around here, e.g. "the Red Oak family." The family is the taxonomic classification above the genus and species. I merely hinted, in passing and not helpful in IDing the tree in question, that both Pecan and Hickory (and Black Walnut) are in the Walnut family, "Juglandaceae." Sorry for muddying the waters...

 

[Andy S.]

My first thought was that nrford may not be familiar with Blackgum (Black Tupelo,) but I was surprised to see that Sweetgum is an important lumber tree, so maybe he is aware of Blackgum as well.

Well I can't think of any other angles to take pics from so I'm content to call it BG. I was hoping he'd weigh in with one of those "______ 100%" calls, though. The ease of splitting is the only things that argues against BG from what I can see.

 

[Woody Stover]

One thing we can be sure of....it will produce some BTUs, whatever it is!

 

[Osagebndr]

Rite on , btus it is. Nice work on that one woody

 

[nrford]

Gum is very rare, if not non existent in northern Michigan. And I see very little of it at the mills I visit in IN, IL, and OH.

 

[Woody Stover]

Gum is very rare, if not non existent in northern Michigan. And I see very little of it at the mills I visit in IN, IL, and OH.

Yep, the range for Sweetgum starts down here in southern IN, IL and OH. Black Tupelo ranges up into MI but not into the NW part of the state, and it doesn't appear to be as desirable for lumber.

 

[Andy S.]

How about Cucumber?