Anyone here in the East burning Aspen?

[Jere39]

There is a small stand (maybe quarter acre) of tall straight trees in an area bordering my property and my neighbors. It's in the woods, so the actual boundaries are not very clear, but it's not a problem. My neighbor does not cut, he has an old craftsman electric chainsaw, and by the time the current has made it through a couple hundred feet of cord he mostly has a noise maker. Anyway, he gave permission to someone who works in his office to cut some firewood from a bunch of trees that came down during the Sandy storm in October. These trees are very different than anything else on our hill top where we mostly have Oak, with some Wild Cherry, Beech, and Birch. I've always guessed these were Aspen, based on the leaves in the Summer and the smooth greenish tint to the bark. I don't care that someone is taking this wood. I'll stick to the dead Red Oak I like better. But, I walked over Saturday to chat with the young couple who were cutting it. He was guessing all over the place on wood type, and in his mind, free wood is all good. Since these were blown-down, it is still very green, many no doubt would throw leaves again this spring. Judging by how easily his saw was cutting through this stuff and the rate of growth, I still think it is Aspen, but I am a willing student. I've never cut any of it myself. I'll carry my x27 over next time I walk that way and give it a whack. Anyone have a better idea on ID. And, has anyone here in the East ever cut and burned any of this?

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[leon]

There is a small stand (maybe quarter acre) of tall straight trees in an area bordering my property and my neighbors. It's in the woods, so the actual boundaries are not very clear, but it's not a problem. My neighbor does not cut, he has an old craftsman electric chainsaw, and by the time the current has made it through a couple hundred feet of cord he mostly has a noise maker. Anyway, he gave permission to someone who works in his office to cut some firewood from a bunch of trees that came down during the Sandy storm in October. These trees are very different than anything else on our hill top where we mostly have Oak, with some Wild Cherry, Beech, and Birch. I've always guessed these were Aspen, based on the leaves in the Summer and the smooth greenish tint to the bark. I don't care that someone is taking this wood. I'll stick to the dead Red Oak I like better. But, I walked over Saturday to chat with the young couple who were cutting it. He was guessing all over the place on wood type, and in his mind, free wood is all good. Since these were blown-down, it is still very green, many no doubt would throw leaves again this spring. Judging by how easily his saw was cutting through this stuff and the rate of growth, I still think it is Aspen, but I am a willing student. I've never cut any of it myself. I'll carry my x27 over next time I walk that way and give it a whack. Anyone have a better idea on ID. And, has anyone here in the East ever cut and burned any of this?

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I believe what you have there is Bigfoot Aspen which is common in
the central and eastern United States. Any soft wood needs to be dried
and have the living daylights split out of it to both dry quickly and burn well.

I burn both softwoods and hard woods and the key os splitting them to almost
kindling size to get the heat out of whether they are decidious, conifer or willow
which is what the Bigfoot Aspen is related to.

 

[Isna]

Sure looks like Aspen. We did burn some when I was in Quebec, mostly because we had so many on our property. We would always mix it with ash or maple since it burns really quickly. Not a good firewood but, when free, it can be mixed with better woods.

 

[strangersfaces]

On the family property in western Massachusetts we had white and silver Birch, but also occasional stands of Black Birch.

The leaves of Aspen and Birch are similar in shape, however, Aspen leaves are broader. The leaves in your second photo more closely resemble the narrower shape of Birch, to my eye.

Should you learn the correct answer from some savvy old-timer in the area, please do let us know...

 

[nixon]

That's Bigtooth Aspen . I have a bunch of it on my place . Not a lot of heat yield compared to oak, etc.., but it's okay for early fall ,late spring fires .

 

[stihly dan]

I had some awhile back before I knew a tree with leaves did not mean hardwood. When dry its lite as paper. So fire pit it went.

 

[DSS]

Its Poplar. Grows like a weed here. I don't know if that's what you guys call aspen. Heavy as lead green, and weighs nothing dry. Not a lot of heat but burns well. Dries fast. I've burnt trailer loads of it. Mix it in, its good firewood.

 

[Jere39]

On the family property in western Massachusetts we had white and silver Birch, but also occasional stands of Black Birch.

The leaves of Aspen and Birch are similar in shape, however, Aspen leaves are broader. The leaves in your second photo more closely resemble the narrower shape of Birch, to my eye.

Should you learn the correct answer from some savvy old-timer in the area, please do let us know...

Thanks for your thoughts. We have enough Birches around here, Black Birch (Cherry Birch) Silver Birch, even a White Paper Birch I just took down. All their leaves are more pronounced point and this tree is more of a fat spade. I can't find any pictures with the leaves green from last year, but soon enough there will be some here again. Anyway, the Birches here are a denser wood with tighter rings and thinner bark. Still, I am here to learn.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Its Poplar. Grows like a weed here. I don't know if that's what you guys call aspen. Heavy as lead green, and weighs nothing dry. Not a lot of heat but burns well. Dries fast. I've burnt trailer loads of it. Mix it in, its good firewood.

Aspens are members of the populus family, along with cottonwoods and poplars. Kissin cousins, let's call em. Makes em sound downright Tennessean. Pretty much all of em burn as you describe, though. Quick fire, not much in the way of coals. They're sold in about every gas station around in bundles for campfire wood here. A good wood for spring and fall burning, assuming spring ever comes this year...

 

[Jere39]

Update on Wood ID

It was a very nice day today and I cut down and cleaned up a Birch that had been topped by the October Sandy storm here in my woods. This Birch is referred to as Black Birch, or Cherry Birch, or even Sweet Birch. It makes great firewood, though isn't as popular as Oak. Anyway. I took one of the rounds of the wood I believe to be Aspen and one of the rounds of my Birch and split them side by side. They are very different. They both actually split easily. When I dropped the Ax into the end of the wood I believe is Aspen, it practically squirted, you can see the wet in the first picture.

When split, this wood had a dark core, but a very white grain:

The Birch is much denser, thinner barked, more red, and finer grained. It was not dead, so there is an obvious sap wood ring. This is still green wood.

Side by side, the wood appears different. Not sure how this picture got upside down, but the red wood is the Birch and appears on the right in this picture while the ID check wood is the white and on the left:

As already mentioned, Aspen is in the same family as Poplar. This wood is even softer than the Tulip poplars we cut around here to get them out of the way for access to the Oaks. I've looked at the leaves of both Big Tooth and Quaking Aspen online. These leaves were closest to the Quaking Aspen.
Thanks to everyone who provided guidance.

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[GVS]

Looks like poplar to me. Lights quick,burns quick and hot!When fully seasoned and milled up for lumber it is hard and strong.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Yup, aspen. It's not gonna keep ya warm in January, unless you're filling the stove every couple hours, but good for a quick warmup spring and fall.

I cut about 15 cords of it last fall for a friend who was selling it for pallet wood. Here's a shot from when I was working over there: