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Favorite Tree?

Started by lxskllr, November 18, 2018, 07:37:37 PM

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Klunker

I do love an old Burr Oak grown in the open as they should be. My favorite tho? No.

I have lots of Sugar Maple, a nice tree but a bit of a weed to me, in the end if nothing is done I know my woodlot will be almost nothing but Sugar Maples so I'm OK with them but definitely not my favorite.

Quaking Aspen, or Popple as they are called in these parts are one of my favorites in Northern WI where they grow like weeds after clear cutting. They usually will show us where the Grouse and Woodcock are. So I have a soft spot for them as one of my favorite things on a nice October day is bird hunting. But as I live in S. WI where there are lots better trees down here than the lowly Popple.

Speaking of N. Wi there is also some other trees that I do like, the Hemlock and Yellow Birch. When they reach significant size they are impressive trees. But both fall short as a favorite.

Eastern White Pine grows in my county, primarily in the northen half and along the lake shore. An old mature White Pine that has flattened it crown against the sky is a lovely sight. The sound the wind makes as it slides thru the needles is magic. The needles are long and soft giving the tree a pleasing appearance. For me its in the top 5 of favorite trees but not the top one.

Tamarack or Eastern Larch to some is unique tree. The only conifer to loose its needles in the fall. They are common in the low wet swampy ares in So. Wi. Places that I have spent many a Nov. day sitting and waiting for a ripe Buck. In fact I had a stand that was no more than a log laying against a large Tamarack tree that I leaned against as I waited. I shot a nice 8 Point buck from this spot one magical warm sunny Nov. day. It was a magic place carpeted in a dull golden needles and moss. The late fall sun warmed my face and its was as close to perfect as a day as I know. So for this reason I do like the Tamarack. But again, its not my favorite.

Shagbark Hickory,  a large portion of my woodlot is dominated right now by Hickories. They are great for feeding the local Squirrel population. I have spent a few hours cracking the almost impenetrable fortress that is a Hickory nut for my Mom to add to her homemade fudge. But to me they are a rough looking customer that garners admiration but no love from me.

Ironwood is another tree that while its dense heavy wood is the best thing I can find in my woodlot to burn to heat my house I don't love them. They are small in size tree, always seen growing in the shade of others. I have a couple of larger Ironwoods in my woodlot, they are full of knobs that stick out where branches used to grow giving them an odd look. And often they are hollow and have holes in the bottom. A good chunk of the Ironwoods I cut are hollow in the bottom foot or two. They  almost always are packed with Hickory nuts from chipmunks and mice.

Another tree that deserves Honorable mention is Cherry, it never seems to grow straight and I can't think of a more beautiful wood. But its not my favorite.

But I guess that if I had to pick one for my favorite it would be the American Beech. I love its smooth grey bark, it leaves are unique and beautiful in the fall and they hang on well into the winter most of the time.




lxskllr

Thoughtful analysis Klunker. Ironwood's like the anti poplar for machete work. You look at, and think "this'll be easy" crank the machete, and the handle rebounds after hitting the tree, wracking your knuckles, and doing little damage to the tree. Beech is terrible to cut too. It holds on to every little limb with all it's got. They rebound away with little damage, and sometimes one of his buddies smacks you upside the head for making the attempt  :^D

Babylon519

A wise parent was asked if they have a 'favourite' child. The parent said "yes, the one that needs me most today". 

So my favourite tree is the Ash, a tall, stalwart, straight-grained beauty. Easy drying, splitting and burning to boot. But it's being wiped out by a bug. In my bush, the Ash is my sick kid, and my favourite one today!  
 


 

- Jason
Jason
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 big shaggy, Christmas tree,  and a " New England  coconut :D"
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Say when

Pulphook

Why oh why are all the best firewood trees south of us ? :o
Here are some oaks, some ash now EAB dying, few locust, few Hard/Rock Maple, few Beech also diseased, fewer yellow birch.
We burn what we got: Red/soft maple, Paper/White Birch.
Even further north like Alaska and Nunavit, fewer good hardwoods. Oh why ? :'( ( Yes, latitude...but )
Two wood stoves ( Jotul Rangely ,Jotul Oslo ) heating 99 44/100%
24/7. No central heat. 6-8 cords firewood from the woodlot /year. Low low tech: ATV with trailer, 3 saws, 2 electric splitters, a worn pulphook, peavy, climbing line for skidding, Fiskars 27, an old back getting older.

Bogue Chitto


SwampDonkey

Quote from: Pulphook on November 26, 2018, 07:46:48 AM
We burn what we got: Red/soft maple, Paper/White Birch.
Even further north like Alaska and Nunavit, fewer good hardwoods. Oh why ? :'( ( Yes, latitude...but )
I am getting good heat off spruce, box elder, larch, red pine, white birch that I gathered when getting the building site ready. Just yard trees. Burns as long as rock maple actually. I wouldn't buy it, but it's warm. ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

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Don P

A friend is the shade of a lone white oak on a hot day

CX3

A good ridge full of 20" white oaks and a tree stand in one of them
John 3:16
You Better Believe It!

Magicman

10 days and I continue to agonize over this question.   :P   I still do not have an answer.  ::)

A great majority of my sawing income comes from SYP.  The most valuable trees on my property are Cherrybark Oak.  The species that I love to hate sawing is ERC.  The greatest joy sawing is Tulip "Poplar".  I hates Sweetgum.
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Southside

Well, this is my favorite individual tree. It is an ERC that lives in the crotch of a wild cherry, it might grow a quarter an inch a year in height, the trunk is smaller than a pencil, and it has been here for a number of years, can't imagine what the growth rings would look like.  The host cherry has it's issues but I keep trying to make her live. If she goes I plan to rescue the little ERC. 



 
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brianJ

Elm made a great street tree back when I was a kid.   Miss them more than I do the ash that left

Guydreads

For firewood American Oak. Straight grain, amazing firewood. For shape probably a maple. Nothing specific

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