Which "trash tree" is your guilty pleasure for firewood?

I've read a lot about junk trees that aren't worth the work involved to convert them from forest inhabitant to firewood. I have a small list of trees I despise...but one in particular I take great joy in cutting down and dismembering into firewood...

Box elder

I love cutting these things down, giving more desirable saplings a chance to grow up, and getting plentiful cheap, quick burning wood. I've got a long hit list this fall and winter, so if anyone else takes delight in seeing box elders meet their demise keep an eye out for a thread next winter.

 

For "junk trees" box elder is great firewood. Just about 18 mbtu's a cord. I can't think of a better burning garbage wood.

I like me some basswood as well.

 

Poplar, I guess.

 

Ok Id have to say my "junk" tree is Alder. One thing I can't really stand is Cottonwood. Its a weird thing but when this wood is wet, it SOAKS it up. Pick up a wet sponge then pick up a mop that you dunked in the pail 10 mins ago. Its a world of difference. Smells funny when its fresh cut.
Funny thing is, after 3-4 months of pretty good weather its about half the weight, then split it again and it'll be ok. Now back to the alder. Alder is just everywhere here. In some places, alder is all that lines a small woods and then fir and hemlock will cluster within. Alder is great because when its dry you can split this stuff well and its very clean splits. Most often Id just split in half, stack that and split that in half later on when its been out a year. Sometimes you don't need to that long but here in the NW its considered a safe practice. Covered as well.

 

Cottonwood. There is a bunch of it around here making it easy to find and it will heat the house.

 

Haven't run across anything I'd consider trash wood.
I'd rather have dry Oak in the dead of winter, but not in the SS.....too much heat. They all have their place and use.
If I really had to name one, I guess it would be Spruce. Lots of branches, lots of sap, and not always easy to split.
However, it dries very quickly, so it goes in the stacks for SS.

 

The trash wood where i live is white fir aka: pizz fir. Low btu, and makes lots of ashes in woodstove. The plus side is it splits easy even when green, and its low density is easy on chains.

 

Spruce really burns quickly here. I didnt like a load I grabbed since it was so dang hard to split. It was free in that regard but I agree its the knots that really make it tough. I aim to get it split and stacked this summer. Let my parents have it. They aren't home that much in the winter and it benefits as X-mas time wood in the fireplace.

 

Anyone for some willow?

 

Sassafras. Splits easily, dries quickly and smells awesome while cutting it. Only about 13-14k BTUs though.

 

Boxelder was the first one I thought of, quaking aspen the second.

 

White fir. It's invasive here, so the forestry service thins a lot of it. Dries quick, splits a little better than Doug fir, and it burns.

 

Well I guess mine is Silver Maple.......many, many of them have kept my family toasty warm.

 

So I had to Google sassafras to see what it looks like and it says that the FDA determined that it's cancer causing. It goes to show you that anything enjoyable is bad for you !

 

I guess willow is my junk wood, although I don't mind burning it.

 

Swamp maple. It's loaded with water at first but it cuts easy, splits easy, and dries in under 2 years. With a cat stove you can really draw out the btus

 

Swamp maple huh? This I gotta look up.