Huge oak fell!

[ponytug]

Yes, Madrone is a west coast wood, mainly coastal. https://ppo.puyallup.wsu.edu/madrone/about/
The BTUs rank up there with oaks; Firewood BTU Ratings Chart Best Firewood Heat Energy Content

I think that it is a gorgeous wood, but it practically warps and cracks by just looking at it (almost!).

All the best,

Peter

 

[Larry Caldwell]

Well, at least I got your original joke.

Is it something that's very regional to your area? Never heard of it before, never even seen it on any those lists that rank firewood (of which usually 2/3 is stuff that doesn't grow around here).

West coast. One of the nifty things about it is that it checks so badly it almost splits itself. Whack a crack with a maul and it will fall apart.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbutus_menziesii

 

[beowulf]

What your links show - I think - is a tree we have hundreds of here on our property - we call it manzanita. Red bark that peels, and a sort of tortured branch growing pattern. Hard wood that becomes brittle, and I have been told burns very hot. We don't use it for firewood as we have so much oak. Very pretty actually. We have had people ask to take branches for decorating and art projects. My wife wanted to plan one in the yard and I tried several times but could not succeed in getting them to grow. They seem to thrive all over elsewhere - some coming up as suckers from roots I think.

 

[bcp]

Madrone = tree

Manzanita = bush

Learn about Madrone & Manzanita in Northern California » Santa Cruz Mountains

The uniquely charming madrone tree is often cast as the other red tree of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Ironically though, its bark achieves far richer hues...

santacruzmountains.com

"Though in a separate but related genus, the madrone’s shrubby cousin, the manzanita, shares many of these characteristics, both aesthetic and utilitarian, and one rarely talks about the one without referencing the other."


Bruce

 

[beowulf]

Madrone = tree

Manzanita = bush

Learn about Madrone & Manzanita in Northern California » Santa Cruz Mountains

The uniquely charming madrone tree is often cast as the other red tree of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Ironically though, its bark achieves far richer hues...

santacruzmountains.com

"Though in a separate but related genus, the madrone’s shrubby cousin, the manzanita, shares many of these characteristics, both aesthetic and utilitarian, and one rarely talks about the one without referencing the other."


Bruce

Thanks Bruce. Learned something new. The manzita as a bush can grow quite high - especially when it is among/below other trees and needs to stretch for sunlight - some here (though should check again) I think are at least 20 feet high.