These firewood BTU charts compare the heat energy ratings and weight of common firewood species. For me and my outdoor boiler, I prefer the junk wood like aspen and spruce. We used to call them hedge apples. Around here it is about the most common tree taken down by tree services, so lots of firewood guys sell it because they get the wood dropped off in their yards for free. The black locust sparks more as its moisture content rises. In comparison, Russian olive burns at 23 BTU. I think I saw on another btu chart that poplar is 17.0 , but not totally for sure. The density of Russian olive means that it can burn slower without losing heat. If it is really dry it gives off some heat, but I usually recommend it as a campfire wood. Theyre all gone around here.. i have limited trees myself but know a lot of farmers here in north central Indiana. Also warning about the manmade white fruitless mulberry, something wrong with smoke in that too. (Also, a number whose seed pods are only opened by bushfires.). but it is still the least discovered hardwood/cooking wood around except where they have the Orchards. Sounds like my neighbor would get along great with yours. We have the ability to take care of the problem now while its manageable, but we really need all landowners participation to make this program a success and to ensure the health of our watershed for years to come says MSIs Amanda M. Kuenzi. Im still retrieving all the down stuff and will continue for a couple years, at least. The draw back is it is very hard to split . So the math:5 cords @ $180 = $900 // 5 tonsCoal @ $75 = $375. Then there is Vine Maplesome of THE toughest wood I have ever encountered!!!! White oak is fairly rot resistant. I guess its people like these that make for an interesting world. The issue is that Russian olive is hard to buy as firewood and difficult to process in large quantities as opposed to hackberry for example. I have no empirical data, but for us they have given decent heat. A cord is 128 cubic feet but in any stack of wood there will be air space between the pieces. Donating wood samples and pictures of wood items, Fluorescence: A Secret Weapon in Wood Identification, Ash Wood: Black, White, and Everything in Between, Brazilian Rosewood, East Indian, and Other Rosewoods, Genuine Lignum Vitae and Argentine Lignum Vitae. Donating wood samples and pictures of wood itemsIf youve got a new or unusual wood species that isnt on the site, please consider sharing it with the rest of us! They had a good mid-size flame and burned a long time. I burned some buckthorn in 1.5 to 4 diameter unsplit and that stuff burns HOT in our wood stove; it stinks and its not the easiest to start. . Wondering if anybody has info on the outdoor application or rot resistance of this wood. The shrub can grow up to 30 feet in height. Fire it upFire it up! Be wary of using Russian olive wood in an open fireplace. Wood that gives off a lot of smoke causes sore, red eyes and isnt enjoyable to sit next to. I live in the White Mountains of Arizona. I need something to mix in wit the pine though to burn overnight. I use Hickory, White or Red Oak,Beech,tulip Poplar,& Sycamore. This is also the order I would rate them. Axe Adviser9169 W State St #254Garden City, ID 83714United States. I found a big beech limb fully seasoned and cut it up for a try . The specific links on this site are affiliate links (as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases) and help support the site at no extra cost to you. The aspen and spruce burn quickly and hot which works well with my boilers aquastat and powered vent system when the water cools below 175F, the fan kicks on and the easy starting, fast burning junk wood flames up quickly which works well to maintain a constant water temp at 180F maintains the set point and keeps the control loop tight. There are some issues out here in the west that may not be present in other areas, just a heads up if it helps. FREE shipping Add to Favorites ALL Natural Russian Olive wood bowl 10 inches Round X 3-5 inches High X 2" Deep . I live in East Kentucky and fire wood is abundant. Or, if the wood is worth your effort. Not a true mahogany at all. Both put out considerably more heat than anything we have in Alaska and when its -30 outside you can use all the BTUs you can get. Even though it is not firewood you should use to start your fire, it does produce a BTU of 23 million per cord once it gets going. I was wondering if anybody knows if this is true? Getting sufficient heat while using minimal wood is valuable, whether relaxing at home or huddling around a campfire. You could post in the forum and maybe have a better chance of a response. As a common invasive species, you have probably seen Russian olive often on a countryside walk. Greenwood is wood that has just been cut and not seasoned. Well here it is getting to be winter in upstate NY again and the little woodstove in our basement has been running since September or so. When its cold out, I seem less lazy to get up in the middle of the night to keep the fire hot overnight. In the fireplace, it is consumed due to the extreme heat of the wood, and the wood burns just as if it has been dead for several years. However, if you are burning firewood throughout the year then you should do this more often. Here in South Central Alaska, all we have is Birch, Black Spruce and Cottonwood. Likewise, wood that does not burn clean, including unseasoned wood, produces more creosote. It also won't burn and will produce excess smoke. Your web site is very informative. Russian olive is a long lived tree (80-100 years) which grows rapidly up to 10 m in height and 30 cm in diameter and starts to fruit after 5-6 years. The greatest downside to using it is the abundance of tree sap that adheres to ones gloves during the cutting and stacking process. The bradford pear burned fast with a mid size flame . I live in so. The branches are straight-grained and pop apart easily. Mild food is best as it doesnt overwhelm the subtle smoky taste. I have some upstate PA, that often is recovered when down, and used for firewood. In Kansas we used a wood called hedge. And Sandy brought down a dozen beech trees in our town. $20.00 + $21.95 shipping. We collect it as down and dead firewood when we are cutting western juniper (J.occidentalis), mostly on B.L.M. It is not wood that leaks water as soon as it is split, unlike sycamore wood. But its tendency to take on more water in certain settings means extended seasoning time. Overall, compared to other hardwoods, Russian olive can burn for just as long as douglas fir or birch while producing very creosote. No matter what firewood you choose, regular chimney maintenance is a good idea to reduce the chance of unwanted fires. I like to drag it out into the open on a log chain with the tractor. Seems most farmers are removing them now to get more acres in corn and soybeans. But the common name aptly applies due to its obvious high density and/or hardnessprobably how it got the common name in the first place. It does burn a little fast but it throws out the heat. Russian olive wood is not known to give off a smell when burning when it is fully dry. Also have lots (4 cord) of seasoned oak and cherry on hand. The bradford pear can go to the dump along with the elm . Jul 21, 2013. Richard, land. These charts will give you the amount of energy per cord of wood for some of the most common firewood species. Is Russian Olive Good Firewood? - Theyardable Anyone have any idea of cure times, BTU output etc? YOu are actually doing an admirable thing cutting down and burning Russian Olive, it is a non-native and it is on the Invasive Species lists and it's sale/use is banned, or proposed to be banned, in many states. While many landowners are eager to see the Russian olives removed, what to do with the cut trees remained a challenge. Campfires need much radiant heat to keep you warm on a chilly night . My husband and I have been cutting alot of Pinyon pine this yearit burns great!! Thanks! The initial smell is like a sweet-smelling perfume. One of our favorite cooking woods must be peach. http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/heating_cooling/firewood.html, http://www.demesne.info/Garden-Help/Trees-Shrubs/Firewood-hard.htm, https://firewoodresource.com/firewood-btu-ratings/. They are invasive and grow very quickly. Starting a fire with Russian olive can be challenging, so try to use softwood for kindling. Most of the smaller ones, 6 inch and under trunk size, have a beautiful purple and white heart wood, especially in the smaller branches. Russian olive trees are very heavy. We provide super-helpful axe advice that's ad-free. It is a hardwood that can produce a lot of heat for a long time. Remove the limbs from the bottom of the trunk first, followed by the top limbs, advises the University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension website. I have been looking for the B.T.U. Superb device . Russian Olive firewood - Smoking Meat Forums That being said, it is a wood that is mostly sold to hobbyists, so it can be hard to find a firewood seller who supplies Russian olive as firewood. The olive woods sweetness helps balance the slightly bitter hickory smoke. I will feed twice that amount of seasoned. Does anyone have any experience with growing and maintaining a small coppice wood? The ash burns hot and fast with a nice flame, the black locust burns without a lot of flame but lasts much longer. I had about 10 mid-size logs of the black locust I burned . as far as mulberry goes..i live in central nm and at some point in time someone started planting non bearing mulberry trees..the btu output is not even close to what the charts state above..our mulberry trees would be similar to burning elm wood..it grows verry fast and requires a lot of water..we dont even use it for cooking wood..of course most native wood in nm is verry hard because it takes hundreds of yrs to growthe growth rings are so small in some cases it takes a microscope to see them..some of the juniper trees we cut for firewood ive been told were around during the time of christ..so it naturaly is going to be extremely hard wood..ive been looking for the btu output for algarita..or desert holly..where i cut my firewood its not uncommon to find these trees from 5inches to two feet around..it takes at least a yr to season..ive seen gunstocks and stair rails made from itprety woodanyone know?? If its an old tree, the chances are high that splitting will be difficult. In this area, several limbs come together into one knotted mess. Would it be possible to post the btu value for Monterey Pine? Russian olive is the only variety of its kind, but it does go by many names. I have a feeling, based on the small amount of sapwood (which is just a theory of mine) , that it is good but havent put it to the test yet. A few of which are Wild Olive or Silver Berry. I have some birch and cherry Ive been mixing it in with that too. According to wikipedia bradford pear trees originally come from China. The pecan burned good considering it wasnt fully seasoned . I live in Oregon(Portland) and have used all the local species for both fireplace and stove heat. Well-seasoned olive burns clean and produces a light and fragrant smoke. Also, their is plenty of it and nobody burns it so is always available and helps to conserve my hardwood. As with most BTU charts I have seen available, some of the numbers may be a little off, but are in the general ballpark. It does mention its good fuel, but not how good. It peeled off like bark ( but clearly wasnt) exposing 4 panels glued together. Russian olive is commonly found growing along floodplains, riverbanks, stream courses, marshes, and irrigation ditches in the West at elevations from 4500 to 6000 feet. Some do well, others not so well Any info on Sassafras? Happy burning C. I have 30 acres in northwest Missouri. What Are The Physical Characteristics Of Russian Olive Wood? Step away from the tree at a 45-degree angle once it starts to fall. A few other elders like black locust . In the early 1900s, Russian olive trees were introduced to North America to stabilize soil and provide windbreaks. It is a hot burning wood and is very heavy to move. The two common types found in these parts are tall shrubs or small trees, depending on site characteristics They are in the Rose family. Russian olive is medium-quality firewood. With the ability to adapt to any soil type, the Russian olives tree can tolerate more than 75 gallons of water daily. Green wood from the olive tree is high in water content, so it will smoke in the fire. hope this helped you. As the chainsaw reaches the middle of the tree, the tree will begin to fall due to the hinge you originally cut. Very smoky and almost smells acidic when it burns and it doesnt seem to produce much flame or heat. I burn 24/7, and use about two cords from Nov. thru Mar., with several 3-day breaks every three weeks or so when the temps are a bit higher. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. The information was gathered by internet and talking to old timers. That means extra work scooping it up and tossing it or scattering it over the garden. We have burned about 7 1/2 cord and I just ran out. GOTTA CLIMB HIGH AND USE A POLE ELECTRIC CHAIN SAW,,,GITTING IT DONE BUT WILL IT BE GOOD FOR MY LOPA WOOD STOVE..APPRECIATE SOME ANSWERS. For campfires, olive makes an excellent choice. I think its high on the calorie scale, as its known to get good and hot. The inside resembles red or white oak color & grain. Distribution: Native to eastern Europe and western and central Asia; naturalized throughout North America, Tree Size: 20-35 ft (6-10 m) tall, 1-1.5 ft (.3-.5 m) trunk diameter, Average Dried Weight: 43 lbs/ft3 (685 kg/m3), Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .55, .69, *Estimated hardness based upon specific gravity. Much of the energy generated from burning green firewood actually goes toward evaporating the water held in the wood.