# Can anyone ID this?



## BassBlaster

Due to the recent storms in OH, we have been doing tree cleanup all through the city for the past two weeks. Probably 2 more weeks left of it. Good news is, I have pretty much free access to any of it that I want. Bad news is, 90% of it is plain ole silver maple.

Anyhow, today I found this tree, shrub, bush or something another and saved it from the chipper because it looked to be really cool. Brought it home and cut it up into pen blanks and I was right, it is really cool.

I dont have any info on it because it was just as pictured when found except it was a bit longer. I'm thinking its some kind of Juniper bush or something but I really have no clue. The wood has a lot of cool color to it and the grain pattern is kinda swirly and reminds me somewhat of olive. I dont have a scanner to take an end grain shot. Any ideas?

http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/DSC_0938a.jpg

http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/DSC_0939a.jpg


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## bench1holio

it could be purple yew. nice score!


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## BassBlaster

Dunno if this helps or not but when I was milling it, teeny tiny Pseudoscorpians were running from behind the bark. They were about the size of a pin head. I dunno what, if any tree or bush they prefer. In fact, I had never heard of them before now. Had to Google search to even figure out what kinda bug it was, lol.


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## BassBlaster

bench1holio said:


> it could be purple yew. nice score!



I was able to get 22 decent blanks from the chunk. That purple color is only present in 5 or 6 of em. The rest are the golden color.


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## Final Strut

With the purple I was thinking lilac. 

What ever it is as long as those colors stay it should make some really sweet pens


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## Kevin

The wood looks a little like Plum, but I don't think the bark does.


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## Twig Man

Man thats some pretty wood!!


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## jpark1892

Redbud or wild olive. Leaning WAY toward redbud though.


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## Kevin

Bark looks nothing like the redbud bark around here.


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## davduckman2010

nice find bass us ohio boys will gab anything purty  duckman


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## Vern Tator

Tough to say from the small sample, but it could be Buckthorn.


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## phinds

BassBlaster, as Vern suggests it might be buckthorn and if it is you can probably tell from the end grain which is somewhat distinctive. You'll find pics on my site for comparison.


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## Jdaschel

I would also say yew.


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## phinds

Jdaschel said:


> I would also say yew.



Yeah, don't know how I missed the yew suggestion earlier, but I agree that's more likely than buckthorne.

End grain will readily distinguish between the two


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## Ancient Arborist

It looks like juniper to me, best way to tell is to put blank in sun for a few days and if its reds and oranges turn brown, its juniper.


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## Vern Tator

Wow, might be yew. :dash2: I missed the orange in the pictures, but am used to seeing higher percentage of orange. I was really going by the shape of the piece and the bark. The needles would have told for sure.


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## Kevin

After Ancient said Juniper and looking at it again with a view toward that, I think he may be right. It *is* very similar ERC so quite possible it is in fact a Juniper of some sort. Wood and bark both favor it. 

.


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## BassBlaster

Wait just a minute here, I suggested Juniper as a WAG in my very first post and everyone ignored it!!!! Lol

So, ERC is juniper? Didnt know that. I learn something everytime I log into WB!!

As for these particular blanks, they are all end sealed so I cant really see the end grain anymore to do a comparison on Phinds site. Once they are dry, I'll chop the end of one of them and compare cause I would really like to have a positive ID. I will be bying a new printer very soon as well and the one I'm getting has a scanner on it so that will help in the future!!

So, are you guys saying that if this is in fact a juniper that it will lose all its color?


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## Kevin

BassBlaster said:


> Wait just a minute here, I suggested Juniper as a WAG in my very first post and everyone ignored it!!!! Lol



Sorry Dennis I missed that somehow! 



BassBlaster said:


> So, ERC is juniper?



Yes but ERC is not a cedar at all - it's juniper through and thourgh. But yours may not be _juniperus viginiana _ aka ERC it looks like some other type of juniper if in fact it is juniper. I believe that it is.


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## BassBlaster

No problem, just given ya a hard time, lol.

Yeah I believe you guys are correct. I spent a little time on Phinds site looking around and everything is pointing to some type of juniper. Still need to confirm with the end grain though. Thanks guys and gals!!


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## pinky

+1 on juniper


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## jimmythewoodworker

pinky said:


> +1 on juniper



I'm late getting on the bus but I agree with Juniper. I recently cut one down and it looks identical. The smell can also be a giveaway


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