# Pleased Identify This Wood



## BBQSoCal (Apr 2, 2018)

Hello,

I saw a house with a lot of recently cut down wood.  I think I see two types. One I’m convinced is a Liquid Amber which is no good for smoking but the other not too sure. Possibly Oak?  Can you help identify please???


Thank You,


James


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## BBQSoCal (Apr 2, 2018)

Another


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## BBQSoCal (Apr 2, 2018)




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## BBQSoCal (Apr 2, 2018)




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## Braz (Apr 2, 2018)

Wood identifying is an art under the best of circumstances. I cannot begin to ID those logs from the picture but it looks like a fast growing "weedy" tree, based on the proportion of heartwood/sapwood. One thing, though, oak it ain't.


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## Gwanger (Apr 2, 2018)

BBQSoCal said:


> View attachment 359421


Hard to be sure but it looks like oak


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## motolife313 (Apr 3, 2018)

I see some pine needle looking things that are green in the pick and don't think oak has that. Got any leafs?


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## BBQSoCal (Apr 3, 2018)

I was looking for leafs too but they did a great job of cleaning up any leafs that were left.  They have a big pine tree there still standing so the pine needles could be from that tree not what was cut down.  The owners were not home.  Maybe I can catch them today and before the wood is hauled away and I could ask them.


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 3, 2018)

All the conifer branches there ... is the green stuff from bushes or those logs?


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## BBQSoCal (Apr 3, 2018)

Not sure.  I’ll go back and look closer if they didn’t hall it away yet.


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## dave schiller (Apr 3, 2018)

SoCal, it's difficult/impossible to positively id the wood you have, based only of the posted photos.  I think photos 1 and 2 are the same wood.  I'm convinced #2 is Deodar Cedar, based on the twig with needles in the lower center of the photo.  Note the needles growing in clusters on what are called "short shoots".  I see a similar twig in #1 (lower right).  Also, the bark looks right; plate-like on the larger pieces and smooth and gray on the smaller ones.  Even though the tree cutters did a good job of cleanup, I've never seen a PERFECT job of removing EVERY leaf, needle, and twig.  It's a tree native to Asia but commonly grown as an ornamental in the warmer parts of the US.  Use Google to see more images.  Not a wood to use for smoking meat.

The third photo is a mystery to me, but I don't think it's Liquidambar (sweet gum) and it's not oak.  Bark doesn't look right.  Sweet gum grows wild all over NC (where I live), so I know it well.  Another wood to stay away from.

Looks to me like you struck out on this haul of free wood unless you have a fireplace.


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## BBQSoCal (Apr 3, 2018)

dave I’m positive you are correct about the Liquid Amber. My neighbor has one and it resembles it.  I’ll go with what you say about the other wood as I’m not too keen on identifying it. 

At least I got free Silver Maple a couple months ago. Not too flavorful wood but good for heating the BBQ.


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## BBQSoCal (Apr 3, 2018)

dave I looked up deodar cedar on the internet and I’m convinced you are correct because in that neighborhood it looks like there are a lot of trees of that type in front yards so I believe this must be the case.   They have a big piece of trunk wood laying around but I didn’t photograph it.  I learned that cedar is popular in furniture so I suspect the owners will sell the trunk for money or to reduce the price of the cutting down the tree by donating it to the tree service. I’m sure the drunk can be made into some nice furniture.  I play guitar and would love to make some guitars out of it if I was a woodworker. 

Part of the trunk is still in the ground. I’ll post a pic here.


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## BBQSoCal (Apr 3, 2018)

So I was going to go back to take a better look but I pass. I think for those of you who say it’s not oak I agree.


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## dave schiller (Apr 3, 2018)

SoCal, wood/tree identification is difficult enough when you have a piece of it in your hands.  But trying to id it from a photo on the net, well, that's even tougher.  For you (and everyone else), the best way is to look at (photograph) the twigs, leaves, and flowers/fruits (nuts or whatever).  That's where the easily identifiable characteristics are.  Bark and or wood can vary greatly, depending on where the trees grow, altitude, climate, soils, rainfall, the list of variables goes on and on.

I'm a retired botanist/forester in North Carolina and have spent most of my career identifying trees and other plants.  I'm familiar with the vegetation here, but southern California might as well be central Australia as far as I know about the trees that grow there.  The LA area was historically devoid of trees before settlement.  I'd bet that 90% or more of the trees there now are non-native ornamentals.  And because of the forgiving climate and the addition of irrigation, it's a good bet that a lot of trees there are from all over the world.:confused:


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## BBQSoCal (Apr 3, 2018)

I agree most trees at people’s houses are just planted for looks rather than native.  I think the native flora is normally bushes although I believe in certain areas there are lots of oak trees.


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## BBQSoCal (Apr 3, 2018)

The only trees we can’t grow here are coconut palm trees.  Everything else grows here I believe.


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 3, 2018)

knock on the door and ask.. :p


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## BandCollector (Apr 3, 2018)

Rings Я Us said:


> knock on the door and ask.. :p



Great Advice. . . . . . LOL!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Rings Я Us (Apr 3, 2018)

Those tree places here won't give any good tree stuff away. They only sell it.


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## dave schiller (Apr 3, 2018)

Good idea, Rings.  Shoulda included that in my list of characteristics to consider for identification.:p

SoCal, my comments about tree id in your area assumes that you are in the LA area, the epicenter of southern California (in my mind).  Here are a couple of links to sites about vegetation there.

http://ucanr.edu/sites/SAFELandscapes/Fire_in_Southern_California_Ecosystems/
In this, scroll down to the end and read about riparian vegetation.  That's about the only place in the area where native hardwood trees grew/grow.

The second link is an interesting general read.
https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/...rnias-long-history-of-unsustainable-gardening


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## BBQSoCal (Apr 3, 2018)

You are right I’m in LA. San Gabriel Valley to be specific.  

I know tree places sell not give wood away but it’s all over the yard so the owners may throw me a few bones but I’m convinced now it’s cedar and not worth trying.


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