German Chesnut?

SawDust_Studios · October 09, 2004, 06:53:06 AM

I have what appears to be a very white wood like poplar, but without any of the streaking of green. And it is void of any dark spots. The wood is very white and somewhat hard.

One gentleman refered to it as German Chesnut, but I have never heard of this. Is this a common name for something else or is it a species of poplar?

Thanks

etat · October 09, 2004, 07:19:00 PM

Run across a log of the same type of wood when they were cutting my siding. Thought it was yellow or tulip poplar but the wood was really white with no streaks. Somebody told me the name of it at the time but I can't for the life of me remember right now.

I still got some 16 foot 2/8's of it out in the shop.

I do know that whatever they said it was it wasn't any type of chestnut.

SwampDonkey · October 11, 2004, 04:21:21 PM

hmmm, that rules out basswood, cause its real soft and light.

Maybe its sugar maple, red maple (white maple) or beech (smooth grey bark unless infect with beech scale disease)? Is it heavy? Maybe hornbeam or ironwood (yellowish brown)?

SawDust_Studios · October 11, 2004, 07:03:00 PM

The bark looked alot like poplar. I still think it must be a form of poplar, but it could be beech or a maple variety. It was a clear white with no streaks which is why I thought it wasn't poplar.

SwampDonkey · October 12, 2004, 04:30:55 AM

When you folks talk poplar, do you mean tulip tree (yellow-poplar) or trembling aspen? Yellow poplar can be huge and one of the largest eastern hardwoods and its a species of the magnolia family. I have no experience identifying yellow poplar wood. If the bark is greenish gray I'de suggest large-toothed aspen which has a rounded leaf with big teeth on the margins of the leaf. If its a small roundish leave with tiny teeth than it could be trembling aspen. The wood is light when dried, but its not real hard. The only streaks in the wood might be from scars or infections. Tulip tree lflowers resemble that of tulip flowers. There is a thread in this subforum on large toothed aspen.

cheers

bitternut · October 12, 2004, 05:49:31 PM

I am going to cast my vote for Big Tooth Aspen. I have quite a bit of it stacked and stickered in my barn. Its been there about a year and a half. Real white wood. Mine is twelve foot by 5/4 and 8/4 in random widths. Real nice clear stuff. Haven't figured out what to do with it yet. Ran a board through my planer today and it really is white. Some of it has quite a bit of figure.

SawDust_Studios · October 13, 2004, 08:30:54 PM

I was referring to yellow -poplar, as that is what we typically get around here. I never got to see the tree, so I never saw the leaves. Only the bark and thet is from memory.

I hope to get a few more logs from a friend, if I do, I'll post pics of the bark.

Thanks
Dave

SwampDonkey · October 14, 2004, 03:41:05 AM

When I was near blacksburgh, Virginia it was mainly tulip tree, but I did find a grove of large toothed aspen growing on a rock pile where an old pasture was growing up. It's not too common around that area. Most old clearcuts where invaded by tulip tree and red oak.

SawDust_Studios · October 31, 2004, 04:48:26 AM

Anyone ever heard of a Linden (sp?) It was suggested by a local logger that this was the type of a tree.

Dave

Bro. Noble · October 31, 2004, 07:17:01 AM

Linden and basswood are the same thing. They are soft.

SwampDonkey · October 31, 2004, 07:20:38 AM

Linden species in North America wild forest is American Basswood or Tilia americana . Often times exotics are planted in parks with much smaller leaves which turn red in autumn. The native species turns yellow. The fruit is a nutlet inside a round, bead-like case and has a long bract attached.

Scroll down thru this forum thread for photos of leaves and seed
Click here

The sticky post at the head of this subforum has info on Basswood/Linden

Click here

cheers

SwampDonkey · October 31, 2004, 07:22:42 AM

Bro_Noble posted just ahead of me. Sorry ;)

Bro. Noble · October 31, 2004, 07:30:30 AM

'so-k

SawDust_Studios · October 31, 2004, 10:36:13 AM

Well, that rules out linden. I know what basswood looks and feels like. Has kinda the look of basswood as far as color, but weighs more. Also, the leaves where large, but not rounded like the pictures shown in the link.

Dave

SwampDonkey · October 31, 2004, 12:05:34 PM

Sawdust:

You sure it's not Ohio Buckeye?

Click here

Its in the horse chestnut family and has palmate compound leaves.

More Silvics Info here

Heartwood is creamy white to pale yellowish white and often with grayish streaks of stain; ripple marks sometimes evident. Sapwood white to grayish white, gradually emerging into the heartwood. Wood is odorless, but when wet is similar to basswood.