Ring Porous Hardwoods FW1035 Lab Lecture 1 Ashes Red oak White oak white ash black ash Sassafras True Hickory Red oak White oak American elm (white elm) Red elm (slippery elm) Hackberry Specific Gravities (SG) are from Hoadley, calculated from oven-dry (OD) weight and volume at 12% moisture content (MC).

Oaks General Characteristics Uses: Have two types of rays – uniseriate and wide, “oak-type” rays. Usually ring-porous (live oak and tanoak are semi-ring porous) Many types of longitudinal parenchyma arrangements including banded and vasicentric confluent Many commercial oak species, but can be divided into white and red oak groups. Uses: Furniture and cabinetry Railway ties (red oaks) Crates and pallets Barrels (white oaks)

Red oak Quercus rubra (Fagaceae) Often planted as an ornamental due to its impressive fall colors. Widespread throughout the eastern US and Canada.

Red oak Quercus rubra (Fagaceae) ID Characteristics SG = 0.63 Round earlywood pores Tyloses absent or sparse Ray ends typically 3/8 to 5/8 inches high (rarely taller than 1 inch) Color: pink-red brown Other common red oaks: Q. falcata, southern red oak Q. velutina, black oak

White oak Quercus alba (Fagaceae) Common in the eastern US.

White oak Quercus alba (Fagaceae) There are many uses for white oak. The most important are whiskey barrels, bumper pool tables, and vampire stakes.

White oak Quercus alba (Fagaceae) ID Characteristics SG = 0.68 Latewood pores are thin-walled and indistinct, forming dendritic masses Tyloses are abundant, except in most recently formed sapwood Tall ray ends - 0.5 to 1.65 inches - frequently taller than 1.5 inches Other common white oaks: Q. macrocarpa, bur oak Q. stellata, post oak

Elms General Characteristics Uses: Ulmiform latewood pores Abundant tyloses Uses: Furniture (especially steam-bent parts) Crates and pallets

American elm Ulmus americana (Ulmaceae) Found throughout eastern North America and the Midwest. A very common street tree before Dutch Elm Disease.

American elm Ulmus americana (Ulmaceae) ID Characteristics SG = 0.50 Single row of earlywood pores Light brown heartwood Rays not distinct on cross-section (4-5 seriate)

Red elm Ulmus rubra (Ulmaceae) Not considered important for lumber and less desirable than American Elm. Most abundant in the Lake States and Midwest.

Red elm (Slippery Elm) Ulmus rubra (Ulmaceae) ID Characteristics SG = 0.53 Multiple rows of earlywood pores Darkish red-brown heartwood Rays relatively indistinct on cross-section with naked eye(4-5 seriate)

Hackberry Celtis occidentalis (Ulmaceae) Trees are often planted for shade. Wood is used in inexpensive furniture. Prone to bluestain.

Hackberry Celtis occidentalis (Ulmaceae) ID Characteristics SG = 0.53 Multiple rows of earlywood pores Light brown heartwood, often with yellowish cast Often colored with “blue stain” fungi Rays are distinct on the cross-section with naked eye (typically 5-8, but up to 13-seriate)

Ashes Fraxinus spp. (Oleaceae) ID Features Narrow rays (1-3 seriate) Distinct latewood pores (solitary or short multiples) Tyloses common Longitudinal parenchyma vasicentric aliform to confluent, depending on position in growth ring

White ash Fraxinus americana Grows naturally from Nova Scotia to eastern Texas. Becoming less common as the Emerald Ash Borer spreads throughout the US and Canada.

White ash Fraxinus americana Due to white ash being strong and able to resist shocks, it is widely used for tool handles and baseball bats. EAB, which affects all types of ash trees in the US and Canada, is commonly transported with ash firewood.

Ashes White ash Fraxinus americana Hard and dense (SG=0.60) Creamy yellow sapwood to light brown heartwood Usually wide sapwood band Uses tool handles furniture veneer for decorative plywood baseball bats and athletic equipment

Black ash Fraxinus nigra Slow growing and primarily found in wetlands and swamps. Wood is commonly used for baskets.

Ashes Black ash Fraxinus nigra Lower density and hardness (SG=0.49) Medium gray-brown Often has narrow growth rings - may not be wide enough to see confluent longitudinal parenchyma Uses: furniture pallets and crates

Sassafras Sassafras albidum (Lauraceae) When grown in the north, grows to little more than a shrub. Aromatic tree with little commercial value, except to the perfume industry.

Sassafras Sassafras albidum (Lauraceae) ID Characteristics SG = 0.45 Similar to black ash, but faster grown - wider growth rings Rarely see aliform or confluent longitudinal parenchyma Distinct “root beer” odor

Hickory Shagbark Hickory Range of shagbark hickory. Most hickories share a very similar range.

Hickory Some common uses for hickory include smoking meat products and furniture/cabinetry.

Hickory Carya spp. (Juglandaceae) ID Characteristics Hard and dense wood (SG ≈ 0.72 for true hickories, 0.66 for pecans) Intermittent row of large earlywood pores (may look semi-ring porous with pecan hickories) Distinct banded longitudinal parenchyma makes “reticulate” pattern with rays in pecan hickories, extends into earlywood Shagbark Hickory (A “True Hickory”)

Hickory Common “True Hickory” species: Pecan Hickories: Cary ovata, shagbark hickory C. glabra, pignut hickory C. laciniosa, shellbark hickory C. tomentosa, mockernut hickory Pecan Hickories: C. illinoensis, pecan C. aquatica, water hickory C. cordiformis, bitternut C. myristiciformis, nutmeg hickory Uses: Tool handles Furniture and cabinetry Curing (smoking) meat products Pallets and packaging Pecan Hickory