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Chinaberry...?

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by JPDavis, Dec 13, 2018.

  1. JPDavis

    JPDavis

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    Cleared a line today that had a few limbs from a Chinaberry tree growing up towards it. Just a couple arm loads of limb wood but I've never burned it before and was wondering if anyone here had and how it burned? I googled it and very little information, mostly conflicting, popped up.
     
  2. XXL

    XXL

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    I have never heard of it. All wood burns. Let it dry and let us know how well.
     
  3. amateur cutter

    amateur cutter

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    Uh yea, what he said. Chinaberry? Got a pic by chance?
     
  4. Ralphie Boy

    Ralphie Boy

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    Here ya go! Take a minute to check it out. Non-native, some say invasive.
    Virginia Tech Dendrology Fact Sheet
     
  5. XXL

    XXL

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  6. Ralphie Boy

    Ralphie Boy

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    Yep it does until ya look closer at the leaves and they're alternating and not opposite.
     
  7. JPDavis

    JPDavis

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    You see? There's not much info on burning the stuff. I'm waiting to see if more folks from the southern states have experience with this type of wood. This is the first time I've come across this type of tree in northern Arizona. It definitely should not be in this area at this elevation. But as Ralphie stated, non native possibly invasive.
     
  8. amateur cutter

    amateur cutter

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    Hey ya never know, maybe it burns like Ash too.
     
  9. JPDavis

    JPDavis

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    I will as soon as the sun rises. It'll be around 8am MST
     
  10. JPDavis

    JPDavis

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    Here's the pic.
     

    Attached Files:

  11. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    Berry makes me think that most woods that bear fruit are great burning. Yet, looking at those pictures it appears to be a fast growing tree so no doubt pretty soft. But no doubt it will burn.
     
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  12. Barcroftb

    Barcroftb

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    Gotta agree with Dennis. That looks like it will end up being pretty soft. Still it'll burn gooder than a snowball. Compare it with a pic of this bitternut hickory though

    Hickory-2-e1403468051930.jpg
     
  13. T.Jeff Veal

    T.Jeff Veal

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    It's very common down here in the south. I don't think I have burned much over the years, not enough to remember anyway. It is a fairly soft wood, pretty grain, dries fast. Robin's like to eat the berries after they ferment. I've seen some drunk birds, they will sit in the road as you drive over them, not moving. Ol' timers would give the berries to a wormy horse or pony. Kills the parasites and cleans them out.
     
  14. JPDavis

    JPDavis

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    I'd like to thank everyone for taking the time to reply to my thread. Due to my work I'm fortunate enough to have between 20 and 30 varieties of wood to burn. When ever I come across a new one I always get overly excited and want to know everything about what people think of it and how it burns. Again, thanks for the replies!
     
  15. Barcroftb

    Barcroftb

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    The grackles where I grew up used to get drunk as skunks off fermented mulberries. Their erratic flight and stumbling was comical. I used to hate the messy bastards. Many lost their lives in the jaws of my German shepherd.
     
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  16. kentyman

    kentyman

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    I'm late to the party! It burns hot and fast, but still worth hoarding in my book. And the straight grain makes it a pleasure to split. Everything I have read says it's plenty poisonous, so I would not feed it to animals!

    Here's some more information on it:
     
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