Birch Question???

Are black birch and grey birch the same tree? I dont score it that often.
Some birch i cut yesterday.

 

Brad you are a wood destroying tornado. How do you do it? I feel incredibly lazy after seeing the amount of rounds that you handle by hand!

 

Black and silver are different

 

I believe black and grey are 2 different kinds of birch.

Black birch would smell a bit like wintergreen. Good firewood.

Not sure what grey birch smells like, but less desirable firewood.

Go by the scent.

 

OCD, a strong hoarding disorder, and the only way ive ever done it!!!
Lots of coffee doesnt hurt either...caffeinated of course!

I guess i dont realize how hard i do work at making firewood. To say im passionate about it is an understatement! Thanks for the kind words OAKley Dokley

 

This was older as the bark was coming off but the meat was good. Slight "birchy" smell. SS it all today (row in front)

 

Black and grey are very different trees.. grey are usually white and can be mistaken when young for white or paper birch. Greys don’t grow very large at all... What you have there is black birch...

Virginia Tech Dendrology Fact Sheet

 

Grey birch is pretty much a pioneer species here and the white pines that come up with them will starve them of light, leading to their eventual decline and demise. Decent firewood if you get to them before they start dying and falling over. I don't recall any minty smell from younger branches' bark like with the golden birch that also grow around here. Pretty sure black birch tend to grow in flood plains in river sand and silt rich soil(s).

 

That’s some good firewood there!

 

You hit he nail on the head.

Seeing it first hand and having worked with him on a couple occasions up till now his drive is nothing short of amazing.
If you ever get the opportunity to work with him you better plan on taking the day after off , you will need it as a recovery day !

 

buZZsaw BRAD just to clarify, there are at least two species that use the common name of “black birch”. Betula lenta and Betula nigra. One is an upland northern hardwood also called sweet birch and the other (Betula nigra), sometimes known as “river birch” is a more widespread lowland species. I believe you have Betula lenta.

Plants Profile for Betula lenta (sweet birch)

Plants Profile for Betula nigra (river birch)

 

That's Black Birch. Also, my experience it's the only Birch you can't peel the bark off.

 

Black birch is cherry birch. I got a ton of that at the quarry. I think someone said it but yea it smells like wintergreen and some people like it better than oak. Dries fast and burns hot

 

Awesome firewood. I’ve burned quite a bit.


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Theres some black/cherry birch in here rt by the echo. Brads stuff looks different??????

 

I’m very intrigued by the huge difference in the BTU’s of birch. The birch in my parts (River and white. Maybe paper) are very soft low BTU woods. But the eastern birches specifically black birch is quit high on the BTU list. Not sure if there is another species with that much difference??

 

The various types of maple have BTU differences

 

I think yours and mine are the same. Seems the larger the tree the more "scars" it has on it. IME they dont seem to get that big.