# Yellow wood



## Rustburger (Oct 28, 2019)

I just found this piece of wood this afternoon and came home and sealed it but forgot to take a pic first. 
It is very heavy with yellow wood that extends all the way to the bark, meaning no lighter sap wood. I live in the central Virginia area. Anyone have an idea?
The white on the side is just fresh Anchorseal.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## DKMD (Oct 28, 2019)

I’m not good with bark, but osage, mulberry, and redbud are the three yellow woods that come to mind. All have a lighter colored sapwood, so maybe this is something different.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


----------



## Eric Rorabaugh (Oct 28, 2019)

I have some osage that is yellow all the way to the bark. Show us an end pic when the Anchorseal dries. More than likely osage though. James, have you been to the mill guy up in Boonsboro yet? I will probably be up in late December or early January to see some friends and head by his place.


----------



## Tom Smart (Oct 28, 2019)

What’s left of the bark looks like cherry to me.


----------



## phinds (Oct 28, 2019)

HOW yellow? Yellow like osage? Pale yellow? What?


----------



## Eric Rorabaugh (Oct 28, 2019)

I agree w @Tom Smart but I had some osage with a bark sort of like that. I'll try and get some pictures next time I'm at the farm.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Rustburger (Oct 28, 2019)

Eric Rorabaugh said:


> I have some osage that is yellow all the way to the bark. Show us an end pic when the Anchorseal dries. More than likely osage though. James, have you been to the mill guy up in Boonsboro yet? I will probably be up in late December or early January to see some friends and head by his place.


Yes, I have been out to see Rex several times. Let's get coffee when you are in town.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Rustburger (Oct 28, 2019)

I will get better pics with end grain tomorrow.


----------



## Mr. Peet (Oct 28, 2019)

Looked like apple but if no darker heartwood is present 'Hawthorn' is the only other that matches that bark. Otherwise, 'Yellow-wood' is the most "yellow" of your native trees.


----------



## Karl_TN (Oct 29, 2019)

Add black Locust (aka Yellow Locust) to David's list above of trees having yellow wood. It's not like any Osage Orange bark that I've seen, and wood shavings around the log look whitish so I'm guessing it's not Osage. Log reminds me more of bark on some mature Eastern Red Bud trees, but that's a guess without seeing the wood inside.

We love a good wood mystery, but give us some more clues. Any pics of the limbs, leaves or wood from tree? Also, what's the diameter of the log?

-Karl

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Rustburger (Oct 30, 2019)

okay, here are some more pics. The biggest piece measures about 12- 13 inches diameter. The lighter pieces are fresh cuts. Couldn't find any leaves.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Rustburger (Oct 30, 2019)

This is not just plain ole sycamore...is it?


----------



## Eric Rorabaugh (Oct 30, 2019)

Definitely not osage. Don't see the yellow


----------



## Eric Rorabaugh (Oct 30, 2019)

Osage under and behind the cherry burl.

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1


----------



## Karl_TN (Oct 30, 2019)

Looks like pear tree that I recently cut. If so then the heartwood should be more of a peachy color than bright yellow, and the lighter wood will also darken very quickly after cutting (compare pics 3 and 4 vice 2,5 & 6 above).


----------



## DKMD (Oct 30, 2019)

I doubt it’s any of the stuff I had listed. Sycamore seems possible. The bark seems wrong for the Bradford pear around here, but maybe other varieties have different bark.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Karl_TN (Oct 30, 2019)

Problem with bark is it can change drastically on some species depending on species, location, age & section of tree. Still I don't think sycamore wood darkens as quickly as fruit wood when exposed to air. Also, not saying this is a pear tree specifically, but the wood sure looks like it came from a fruit wood tree of some type (apple, pear, plum or nectarine are a few that come to mind in the Virginia area). Seeing the leaves would sure help narrow this down assuming some are available.


----------



## Rustburger (Oct 30, 2019)

This wood came from a county public dump site and lots of the wood I find there comes from residential areas. Therefore it certainly could be a type of fruit tree. While the bark looks a lot like sycamore, the wood darkens to a yellow very quickly which is the confusing part.


----------



## Mr. Peet (Oct 30, 2019)

Ah, Karl is likely on the Ball...I'm still saying it is 100% in the rose family. Going with 50% chance _Malus _genus, 15% _Pyrus_ genus and 30% _Crataegus_ genus. It is 100% chance not _Platanus_, sycamore. The exfoliating bark is misleading you. The sapsucker damages lean heavy toward "fruit-wood"...I'm leaning more toward Washington hawthorn, _Crataegus phaenopyrum_ with a slim feeling toward Oriental hawthorn, _Crataegus laciniata_. Both lack defined heartwood until larger diameters (10" DBH), 70+ years and lack thorns on thicker diameters (+/- 5") and up.

As for pear wood, Callery / Bradford does turn an orange-ish yellow to yellow, but over a day or so. Common pear goes orange-ish to pink (heavy pink if steamed). Several apple, crabapple and hawthorns go yellow in hours. This is just the outside. After curing, when milled, the true colors will be shown and the strong yellows just on the outside edge.

I'm surprised you have not given a smell. After dry, tell us a density, it might help...at least between "apple" and 'hawthorn'.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Informative 2


----------



## Rustburger (Oct 30, 2019)

Wow...thanks for the insights from everyone.


----------

