Please help ID what I milled - North Alabama

kng · August 30, 2015, 02:00:11 PM

Sorry I don't have pics of the leaves. It was in a farmer's burn pile.

thanks!
-Kyle

Den-Den · August 30, 2015, 02:07:13 PM

I think it is a hickory.

Banjo picker · August 30, 2015, 02:23:39 PM

X 2.... which kind I have no idea. Banjo

Magicman · August 30, 2015, 04:10:04 PM

That loose flaky bark says Pecan.

bucknwfl · August 30, 2015, 05:40:51 PM

I say pecan based on the bark but could be hickory. They are in the same family

WDH · August 30, 2015, 08:31:05 PM

Definitely the

.

Banjo picker · August 30, 2015, 09:10:29 PM

I have never milled any pecan. Is it that much worse than hickory? Banjo

beenthere · August 30, 2015, 09:51:01 PM

I'm thinking pecan is hickory.

QuoteThe pecan (Carya illinoinensis) is a species of hickory ...

Magicman · August 30, 2015, 10:03:31 PM

Pecan is in the Hickory family but to me, the sawing is easier and the lumber is more manageable. The larger the log, the less likely that it will throw a temper tantrum. Never attempt to saw limb wood or logs above a "Y" fork.

WDH · August 31, 2015, 07:46:36 AM

Yep, pecan is a hickory. So, sawing pecan is like sawing hickory because it is

.

kng · August 31, 2015, 09:20:18 AM

Thanks for all of the help with the ID!

What is the concern with sawing pecan/hickory? I didn't notice it being difficult to cut, although the log wasn't very large (about 15" on the small end).

I cut it 4/4, sprayed it with Timbor, and stacked it to air dry.

thanks again!
-Kyle

Magicman · August 31, 2015, 09:52:10 AM

There is no problem with sawing green Pecan logs and it sounds like you did a good job of handling the lumber.

WDH · August 31, 2015, 08:09:25 PM

Now, get ready for the drying games ;D.

Magicman · August 31, 2015, 08:44:27 PM

I don't dries um. I saws um and leaves um. ;D

WDH · August 31, 2015, 08:50:22 PM

One of the more difficult woods to dry straight.

Nathan Harp · October 20, 2015, 11:59:58 PM

remember its pronounced "pe-kon"
a pee-can is what a truck driver uses.

typically growing larger and faster than the other hickories, and often branching much more. If you take car-ya mill out some good heart beams and don't expect much else if you Cant.

WDH · October 21, 2015, 07:16:11 AM

Quote from: Nathan Harp on October 20, 2015, 11:59:58 PM
remember its pronounced "pe-kon"

Exactly.

mesquite buckeye · October 21, 2015, 01:24:25 PM

Could it be a bitternut hickory? ??? ;D 8)

Pretty close woodwise.

GAB · October 21, 2015, 07:57:17 PM

Quote from: mesquite buckeye on October 21, 2015, 01:24:25 PM
Could it be a bitternut hickory? ??? ;D 8) Pretty close woodwise.

Based on my very limited knowledge and experience the bark and the lumber look like bitternut hickory to me.
Gerald

WDH · October 21, 2015, 08:26:53 PM

In my view, bark is a bit too scaly for bitternut. However, there are two groups in the hickory genus. One group is called the "true hickories". The other group is called the "pecan hickories". Bitternut is a member of the "pecan hickories", along with water hickory and pecan. Generally, pecan has a scaly bark, and bitternut has a very tight, thin-ridged bark. They are very close, however.

One of the major differences between the true hickories and the pecan hickories is the number of leaflets on the compound leaf. The true hickories like shagbark, mockernut, pignut, etc have only 5 or 7 leaflets. The pecan hickories, like water hickory, bitternut, and pecan have 9 or more leaflets. Usually more. The nuts are different, too.

Bitternut has a distinctive sulfur yellow bud, one way to distinguish it from water hickory and pecan.

Sorry gents, I am still in the Pee-kon camp on this one.

mesquite buckeye · October 21, 2015, 08:53:46 PM

Looks just like my bitternuts. I don't get to see that many pecans and all mine are under 6 feet tall in the CRP land.

Like you said, the yellow buds are distinctive. The nuts look like a pecan that only will crack halfway open. I'm guessing from the name they taste pretty bad. Pretty tough to check in this case since it was bulldozed. Might be interesting to check some adjacent woodlands to see what is there... ;D 8) 8) 8)

xlogger · October 24, 2015, 05:36:25 AM

I had a hickory die on my property around 14". I've never saw hickory before, if I cut a mantel out of it with heart wood in it do you think it would ever dry right without cracking badly?

SwampDonkey · October 24, 2015, 05:53:07 AM

Nothing but time lost if it doesn't work out. I think there are lots of things we have limited control over, most of the times we just try things and wait for the results. ;D :D

Magicman · October 24, 2015, 08:56:10 AM

We may agree on the Pecan species, but we will never agree on the pronunciation. Pecan There are learned folks in the Southeast that just don't talk right.

SwampDonkey · October 24, 2015, 10:15:43 AM

Websters shows 5 ways to pronounce it. The first is pē kän, the truck drivers ummm. And I visited a German website on how to pronounce the ä, it's like in "hand". sooo :D