Is there a way to tell species?

[Marci MN]

We have a few downed trees in our woods and I was wondering if theres a way to tell the species of a tree once its been down awhile?

I know we have ash, basswood, oak (this one I can pretty much tell by the bark) and I believe Birch out there.

I do remember cutting this one perticular tree apart to move the top end of it and being surprised on how white and ringless it seemed to be. Is there a way to identify it as basswood for sure?

I think I read somewhere that basswood can grow in doubles or triples. This perticular tree is a double. The other half is on its way down too. Its tipped, but hung on another tree.

And is ash a good carving wood?

[Thomp]

found this site page is for basswood, but you can get to the homepage it shows some wood and grain but not much on standing timber identification, do a google on botanical gardens there id one site in england that has identification by bark leaves ect with pictures, i just cant find my bookmark for it marci ... bur here is a quick link to some info on basswood
http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/person...ct%20sheet.htm

[Plain_Ol_Ed]

Marci, Of the trees you named, Basswood is far and away the softest. Ash has a corser grain and is a little darker. The same with oak. Birch is very light colored, but hard and has that papery white outer bark. Hope that helps.

[AlArchie]

Marci, there is a problem in identifying a particular tree if you are not familiar with the characteristics of trees in general. For instance, basswood and box elder have similar bark characterics and the wood is similar in appearance. The bark on both is rough, dark gray to black and deeply furrowed vertically. both woods are fairly soft and, absent fungal or mineral variations, creamy white with little growth ring deffinition. Basswood normally grows singly, not in groves,and grows straight and tall. Box Elder is more likely to grow in stands and is more likely to grow in connected clumps of two or three with the trunks growning together into a single trunk.



There are two common types of birch, the white "paper birch" and yellow birch. Yellow birch has a golden bark with a metalic sheen to it. This is the birch you see in lumber yards and in veneers. White birch very seldom reaches a size suitable for commercial harvesting. Neither, when in the sapling stage have the distinctive birch bark, and may appear to be cherry (dark reddish brown bark, flecked with yellow horizontal dash-like bumps.

Ash and oak, though easilly ID's when standing, are very similar in appearance when milled into lumber, and quite often are used for the same purposes.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you are not familiar with the different trees in your area it is extremely difficult to make an ID from either description or visual aids. Best bet is to find someone locally who know trees and get a good ID from them.

Or carve the stuff and see how you like it! sometimes it doesn't really matter what wood you carve, as long as it carves well.

Al

[Tom-H]

Marci, I solved that problem for myself a few years ago. Met a tree trimmer at breakfast one day. I asked him if he would save me some small limb sections of the various trees he cut down, and identify them by name tag. I forgot all about it until about one year later when I ran into him again. He went out to his truck and brought me 12 limb section with name tags on each one. Still have and still use. You could do the same thing....Tom H

[AlArchie]

Tom, that is a GREAT idea!

Al

[Lynn O. Doughty]

Remove the bark? Once the clothes come off it's hard to hide anything!! Just kidding of course!

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Take your carving knife with you....if it carves great, who cares And if someone asks you what kind of wood it is.....just say "its Minnesota Bloom!" lol. A neighbor went on a tour somewhere here in the desert, and whenever anyone ask the guide what kind of plant or cactus it was, he was say "thats desert bloom" LOL

[wade clark]

Originally Posted by AlArchie

carve the stuff and see how you like it! sometimes it doesn't really matter what wood you carve, as long as it carves well.

Al

Al said a lot in these two sentences. Carve a little with it and see what you think.

I have a great little book called MASTER TREE FINDER by May Theilgaard Watts that is incredible! It's only about 60 pages long and 4"x6", pocket sized. 3/16" thick. It works like a puzzle, step by step, you start with region, then shapes, then you decide if a needle or leaf, etc. If it's a needle, is it long or short, bunched in 2 to 5 or single...if they're single go to page 10. On page 10, are they 4-sided or flat? If flat go to page 12. On page 12, If the needles are 2-ranked like hair divided by a comb go below to..., if they're not 2-ranked, branchlets drooping, buds red-brown, pointed, it is a Douglas Fir, Pseudotsuga Menziesii.
You just follow the threads and in 4 to 6 pages you know what the tree is! Each step has a little picture you follow too, so if page 7 sends you to page 11, there will be the same little picture on 7 and 11. It's a GREAT little book!
It was first published in '63, my copy's '85. I hope it's not out of print. You might look for it on ebay, or at the library. Wonderful little book!
Wade

[Just Carving]

Here's a link that might help:

http://www.inspire.net/trees/name/commonname.html

It uses the Master Tree Finder as one of its references.