Oak or cherry?

[KJamesJR]

Got a half cord of this last year in a trade for some maple syrup. Guy said it was mixed hardwood but it all looks to be about the same species.

I thought that it was cherry at first but a sniff test doesn’t help because it’s pretty dry and there isn’t much aroma coming off of it.

I have no issues identifying a tree when it’s standing but split and debarked is different. Basically going off color and grain here.

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

My take is oak.

 

[johneh]

Looks like Red Oak to my untrained eye

 

[bholler]

Oak for sure.

 

[KJamesJR]

So it is oak then. Thank you for clarifying, it will make my sorting easier.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

For Oak I would check for large rays on the cross section plus under the bark or tangental faces will have large ray flecks. Cherry has barely visible rays, very smooth and red. Often the rounds after sitting for awhile have an orange sapwood and greyed red brown heartwood color.

Cherry:

 

[firefighterjake]

Oak

 

[gerry100]

not cherry. I'd say oak ( which is better firewood)

 

[Jay106n]

Def not cherry. Looks more like red oak.

 

[Bushels20]

Definitely oak. Not sure about what kind.

 

[Sodbuster]

not cherry. I'd say oak ( which is better firewood)

Me and stove love Cherry, short season time and burns hot. Oak takes too long to season, screws up my wood rotation.

 

[hickoryhoarder]

I'm with you, K James. Live, upright trees are much easier to ID. From the photos, I'd say you have red oak. It looks nothing like cherry to me. I burn mainly red oak and cherry, but I'd give you a better opinion if those logs were sitting in front of me.

 

[KJamesJR]

I have just about every species hardwood found in the north east on my property. I’ll be taking notes when it’s time to split it all. I think I pretty much have maple and cherry down. The Elm, ash and young oak all look similar without leaves. Old oak I can tell. Elm and ash I can’t. Cherry when split and cut looks and smells just like the apple I took down and split. Apple was stringy. Wish I didn’t burn up all my Cherry last year running the evaporater. So far I think that’s my favorite as well.

No maple syrup season for me this year, I’ll be cutting and splitting wood all winter.

I might be in the market for a hydrolic splitter come January or February. I’m taking suggestions on make/model in the $600 range

 

[StihlKicking]

I’m 99% that’s black cherry.

 

[bholler]

I’m 99% that’s black cherry.

Nope red oak without question the grain is way to open and course for cherry.

 

[Jay106n]

Nope red oak without question the grain is way to open and course for cherry.

I agree. I have both red oak and black cherry in my stacks. In addition, Black cherry never splits like that. The red oak always splits like that nice triangle.

 

[Sodbuster]

I think there is some confusion, some are looking at KJamesJR's original post and some are looking at ValleyCottageSplitters picture.

 

[greg66]

I agree. I have both red oak and black cherry in my stacks. In addition, Black cherry never splits like that. The red oak always splits like that nice triangle.

i also agree, but the shape of the split might not be the best indicator. without knot you can split cherry pretty much in the shape you want.

 

[ValleyCottageSplitter]

I think there is some confusion, some are looking at KJamesJR's original post and some are looking at ValleyCottageSplitters picture.

Yes, I think StihlKicking was looking at my example of cherry

 

[StihlKicking]

Yes, I think StihlKicking was looking at my example of cherry

Hahaha yes! I was looking at the picture of the rounds with the bark. After scrolling to the top I agree that the split wood is red oak. My bad.

 

[WiscWoody]

Yup red oak