The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Tree, Plant and Wood I.D. => Topic started by: fishyman8 on November 27, 2019, 11:09:55 AM

Title: Please help me identify this tree branch
Post by: fishyman8 on November 27, 2019, 11:09:55 AM
Hey,
I was hiking in Rhode Island and found this interesting branch. It's a deciduous tree so the leaves have already fallen off. The best I can describe it is a very soft wood. Softer then pine but not sure what it is harder than. Can't really decribe the bark. Here are some pictures below. Hope they came out ok. Thanks for the help!

(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57729/image1.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1574870871)
 
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57729/image3.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1574870871)
 
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/57729/image2.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1574870871)
 
Title: Re: Please help me identify this tree branch
Post by: WDH on November 27, 2019, 08:49:27 PM
Cut the end flush and take a razor knife and make a clean slice on the end grain and take a close-up pic of the growth ring structure. 
Title: Re: Please help me identify this tree branch
Post by: Texas Ranger on November 27, 2019, 09:08:39 PM
location?
Title: Re: Please help me identify this tree branch
Post by: Don P on November 27, 2019, 09:24:23 PM
The brash break (short, cross grain, no splintering) says rot, which is why its soft.
Title: Re: Please help me identify this tree branch
Post by: fishyman8 on November 28, 2019, 07:33:09 AM

Quote from: Texas Ranger on November 27, 2019, 09:08:39 PM
location?

This was in North Eastern Rhode Island
Title: Re: Please help me identify this tree branch
Post by: fishyman8 on November 28, 2019, 07:40:41 AM
Quote from: WDH on November 27, 2019, 08:49:27 PM
Cut the end flush and take a razor knife and make a clean slice on the end grain and take a close-up pic of the growth ring structure.
Not sure what you mean (kind of a beginner). From what I am gathering is that you are asking about the rings of the inner wood. Not exactly sure. Could you give me an example please? 
Title: Re: Please help me identify this tree branch
Post by: WDH on November 28, 2019, 08:08:05 AM
Crosscut the end so that it is a round circle and not a jagged end.  The cut end will still be a bit rough from the saw marks.  Take a razor knife and slice/whittle clean the end so that the growth rings are easily visible and not obscured by the saw marks.  Then take a close-up pic so that we can cleanly see the growth rings on the cut end. 
Title: Re: Please help me identify this tree branch
Post by: bluthum on November 28, 2019, 10:54:04 AM
If you can come up with a living twig with the tip intact you should be able to key it out. The rotten branch is a tough one.