# Locust wood...with distinct brown vessels/streaks?



## Augray (Sep 13, 2018)

Hi All, 

Has anyone seen locust wood with grain features like this before? I should say that I assume this is locust wood of some variety, as the tree had the characteristic thorn bundles popping out all over it, though the leaves were gone by the time I started cutting into it, so I can't provide much detail in that regard. It was felled in some old growth woods on farmland in central Indiana in mostly clay-ish soil, < 1/2 mile from a large creek. Any guesses or insights into what this is would be greatly appreciated!

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## phinds (Sep 13, 2018)

Doubt if this is locust at all. Both honey locust and black locust (unrelated species) have heartwood/sapwood demarcation which this does not and both are darker than this wood.

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## Eric Rorabaugh (Sep 13, 2018)

I agree with Paul. It doesn't look like any locust I've ever seen.

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## phinds (Sep 13, 2018)

Oh, and I should have added, both black locust and honey locust are clearly ring porous and this wood is semi ring porous at best and more likely diffuse porous. So again, not locust.

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## Augray (Sep 13, 2018)

Any idea what it is if not locust? It did have the (what I thought) classic thorn bundles on the trunk, which is why I assumed locust. Other trees that I've cut nearby include cherry, walnut, hackberry, buckeye, mulberry, dogwood, and all kinds of hickory. Could it have been a diseased locust perhaps?


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## phinds (Sep 13, 2018)

Augray said:


> Any idea what it is if not locust? It did have the (what I thought) classic thorn bundles on the trunk, which is why I assumed locust. Other trees that I've cut nearby include cherry, walnut, hackberry, buckeye, mulberry, dogwood, and all kinds of hickory. Could it have been a diseased locust perhaps?


I doubt if it's a diseased locust. Again, it is not ring porous. Can you cut off a sample and send it to me for processing?


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## Karl_TN (Sep 13, 2018)

The wood & bark appears to have come from a Hawthorn tree which can have thorns like Honey locust. I haven't turned any myself, but the wood sure looks interesting.

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## phinds (Sep 13, 2018)

Karl_TN said:


> The wood & bark appears to have come from a Hawthorn tree which can have thorns like Honey locust. I haven't turned any myself, but the wood sure looks interesting.


Good call. End grain and color are consistent with hawthorn. The resin canals are weird though.

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## Mr. Peet (Sep 14, 2018)

phinds said:


> Good call. End grain and color are consistent with hawthorn. The resin canals are weird though.



Hawthorn is known for having those dark spots throughout the wood. It also happens in 'Hop-hornbeam' and a few of the birches. Forget the proper term.

So yes, Karl is correct, one of the many Hawthorns...

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## phinds (Sep 14, 2018)

Mr. Peet said:


> Hawthorn is known for having those dark spots throughout the wood. It also happens in 'Hop-hornbeam' and a few of the birches. Forget the proper term.
> 
> So yes, Karl is correct, one of the many Hawthorns...


Jeez, now that I LOOK for them, I see them in the very first sample on my hawthorn page. Thanks for the info.


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## Karl_TN (Sep 14, 2018)

I was only making a wild guess based on Mathew's clue about the tree having thorns on the trunk, but that bark & wood wasn't like any honey locust I've seen. 

Sure wish I had half the knowledge that Paul & Mark have on wood identification itself. Too bad they live so far away for taking hands-on lessons.

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## phinds (Sep 14, 2018)

Well, for wood anatomy, there's a good start in the stickies at the top of this wood ID sub-forum.

For trees, you'll have to ask Mark. All I know about trees is that people tell me (I'm doubtful, but don't want to insult them) that they are the origin of all those planks I buy at the exotic wood stores


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## Augray (Sep 14, 2018)

Thanks all, I really appreciate it! It's a really beautiful wood, turns relatively well when green, but gets pretty hard as it dries and cracks and warps something fierce if you aren't careful. I carved a little canoe from the dried blank in the pics the other day...let's just say my calluses got an upgrade.

Phinds - love your website, I literally have a shortcut to it on my phone's homescreen :-1 I completely missed the hawthorn pics you mentioned too.


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