Identifying tree by bark and cross section

[muddauber351]

Hi all,
This my first post since getting onboard, great info here.
I was trying to identify a tree by its bark and cross section (pics attached).
It was dead when cut down so no leaves making it much more difficult.
It is hard wood with straight grain, easy to split by hand except for y's.
Champaign Illinois is where the tree was located.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks John

Thanks John

 

  

[KEC]

Looks like an oak in the Red Oak group.

[WDH]

You need to take a very close-up pic of the end grain and post it. 

[stavebuyer]

The first picture screams "Red Oak". Second one the bark pattern seems different than the first picture?

[WDH]

The bark is more elm-like to me than oak-like.  A close up of the end grain will confirm if it is one or the other.

[Magicman]

easy to split by hand except for y's.

The bark doesn't look like an Oak.  The part that has me wondering is the splitting which is not Elm's nature.  If the wood had been yellow instead of redish, I would have said Black Locust.

[Jeff]

It doesn't look like Northern Red Oak to me. More like elm to me as well.

[muddauber351]

Thanks to everyone both pics are from the same tree, I will post a close-up later today.
still working for a living.

[Magicman]

Black Locust also has not much sapwood.  The end grain will probably verify Elm, but still I have never seen Elm that split easily.  :

[muddauber351]

Hi all,
Here are some close up pictures. A little background the tree in question was standing in front of my neighbors house, a sweet old lady. A wind storm came through and blew the tree down into the street, the city promptly came by and cut it up and piled it up in her front yard. Myself and several other neighbors helped clean it up for free. Well I ended up with the wood in my backyard
lucky for me its great firewood and I'm always outside. The picture of the bark was the only piece on the whole tree, which had been dead for years.

Thanks John

 

 

[WDH]

The wavy bands of latewood pores confirm elm. 

[Magicman]

Yes confirmed Elm but "easy to split"??    Apparently the rounds are short.  :

[RonG]

Your pictures look like Red Elm.  Red Elm has almost splits nice for me, like Ash, and seems to be fairly rot resistant.  American Elm on the other hand is challenging to split without a log splitter and deteriorates in a few years.  The two kinds of Elm are very different. 

[Magicman]

Thank you.  I have only split Elm once (which was enough) and apparently it was American crossed with Hickory or RR rail. 

[muddauber351]

Thanks to everyone!
Yes it splits quite easily I can split a round with the diameter of 20 inches that is 18 inches long quite easily, I have a heavy maul and just start on the outside and work from there no wedge or anything. Smaller rounds take very little effort just let the maul do the work.

Thanks again
John

[KEC]

Not to challenge the resident gurus, but I feel compelled to comment. The first photo shows a cut end of a limb. It's been a long time since I've seen red elm, but I don't recall such distinct sapwood. I agree the second (bark) photos doesn't  look so much like oak. I'd like to know what the cut end smelled like. I think that red elm does split much easier than white elm. Comments ?

[Jeff]

Danny is much more than just a resident guru of that you can be assured! However, Ima going to keep watching and learning.