Tree of Heaven for firewood

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Yeah, a lot of these guys had me discouraged that I even brought it home. I have no regrets...if I would happen on it again, I would not hesitate to bring it home.

While its not oak or locust, its every bit as good for firewood as poplar/pine, and maybe better. The main thing to remember is season it well, keep the pieces on the larger size (probably six inches or so), and remember it flares like a resin-filled pine. And forget anything under about four inch (limbs and such)...you want the trunkwood.

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Yeah, a lot of these guys had me discouraged that I even brought it home. I have no regrets...if I would happen on it again, I would not hesitate to bring it home.

Yup, I am the same way with Tulip Poplar. Plenty of it around me, but most say to leave it laying to rot in the woods.

I actually love the stuff, especially around shoulder season. Sure it will burn out before morning, but I have oak to fill that time slot. Poplar burns very hot.
 
I live in Brooklyn NY and have been supplementing my home heat with a Napoleon 1400 wood stove for eight years now. I always have some Ailanthus in my rack. I have to burn what is available and believe me that stuff is available. It does indeed burn a lot like pine and there is nothing wrong with that as far as I'm concerned. This year I had some pine I cut small and used for resurrecting the fire when necessary and that stuff is great. I find with the Ailanthus it is a good move to remove the ugly bark when you are splitting it and it tends to get a lot less moldy on the rack and it dries out much better that way for sure. I have six face cords that I use and I have no problem dedicating at least one face cord of Ailanthus if I have to. It is perfect for shoulder season and in a place like Brooklyn we have a longer shoulder season than areas north and west of here. It does not stink in wood stove. Perhaps in a conventional fireplace but not in a wood stove. It is invasive fore sure. We call it Ghetto Palm. It is the tree Betty Smith was referring to in the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I am just amazed at how many Old Wives Tales I read on the internet. Experience is the only thing that counts.bitchpiece.jpg
 
By the way that is NOT Ailanthus shown in the picture. That is a photo of a rather difficult and disagreeable piece of Norway Maple which is also invasive and plentiful in Brooklyn. It is one of the species of tree the City of NY planted many years ago but no longer does. They are the most plentiful trees in this area and they make great firewood.
 
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