What causes this?

[capetrees]

I cut down a maple tree for a friend Saturday. Tree looked healthy, leaves were changing colors as usual. Tree was located next to a driveway and almost from the same stump as an oak right next to it as you can see from the pic (to the right of the stump). That oak looked healthy as well. The maple came down as a hazard to the driveway area.

Any insight to the greyish areas in the wood?

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Copied from Reddit:

I am a furniture builder and not an arborist but I am almost certain that is the tree’s natural response to an Ambrosia Beetle attacks. This wood is popular among wood turners and furniture builders, especially if their is a lot of discoloration. Google Ambrosia Maple or Ghost Maple to see pictures. Interestingly , the discoloration is the tree’s natural response and is not caused by fungus or disease like in other tree species.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

"Ambrosia Maple"

https://www.google.com/search?q=amb...igWYAwCSBwYwLjEzLjGgB6NI&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Hope you didn't burn it in the brush pile. "Highly valuable" from the looks of it.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

That's caused by a total lack of a face cut... very dangerous... oh you mean the spalting... that's just a fungal discoloration.

 

[capetrees]

That's caused by a total lack of a face cut... very dangerous... oh you mean the spalting... that's just a fungal discoloration.

I know. The maple was roped up into the oak behind it and we had to weaken the maple to redirect it on a controlled rope assisted fall away from the landscaping in the front yard.