wow looks like tree heaven i was told when you vut down tree heaven tree wil re grow from the stump ?
TOH will resprout from all over the root base and for quite a few years. You can get sprouts 30-40 feet away from the stump if it was a big tree. I cut quite a few down on the edge of a field. I also cut the grass around the perimeter of the field every two weeks at least. It’s the only way beyond poison to keep them in control. They are starting to die off where I cut regularly. I imagine the root systems are rotting. Further into the field which is only mowed twice a year I’ve noticed this year they’ve sprouted large and taller than normal. I’m hoping it’s one last gasp, one last Hail Mary in an attempt to regrow. We shall see.
The evening before I was picking up four large decaying red oak logs from the same house. Not a great score, deep punk but I knew the heartwood would still be acceptable. When I checked out this “Aspen” it was getting dark out already. Looking at the bark I thought of some type of red oak I had seen before. Possibly even a White oak variety. Looking at the end grain I knew it wasn’t tho. The owner had cut it up already. Normally I’m not a fan of scrounging rounds. It was an old couple who were selling the spread. They needed this stuff gone so I came back and took it. Still on the trailer, still stinks like horse manure. I have half a mind to make several loads in the small atv trailer and donate it to the state forest LOL
TOH is very foul smelling when green. Look around for a sapling or small TOH and smell it. I notice it around the yard when I'm pulling them out. If they get more than a foot high the only way to get rid of them is to cut them off and spray them with vegetation killer. The smell becomes tolerable after a few weeks of drying. The last rounds I had were pretty large. I quartered them and let them dry in a sunny spot for a couple of weeks and the smell was a lot better. TOH splits best when it's greenish and gets harder as it dries and it will start shedding it's bark after about 6 months and at about a year it starts to rot, similar to poplar/ aspen etc.
That definitely looks like bigtooth aspen to me. If it smells unpleasant that’s what it most likely is. Cottonwood and aspen both reek IME.
The cottonwood I've processed has had minimal "aroma" luckily. I've sniffed a few and it isn't that pleasant. TOH ranks number one as my least favorite fresh split smell.
