Thread: Tree ID

No idea! Is it some type of elm I wonder?

Cheers
Michael

Its a maple anything with those spinning winged seeds is a maple. This one is probably Acer negundo is a species of maple native to North America. Box Elder, Boxelder Maple, and Maple Ash are its most common names in the United States. Other variant names -- some of which are obviously regional - include Ash Maple, Ash-leaf Maple, Black Ash, California Boxelder, Cutleaf Maple, Cut-leaved Maple, Negundo Maple, Red River Maple, Stinking Ash, Sugar Ash, Three-leaved Maple, and Western Boxelder. In Canada it is known as Manitoba.
In Australia it is usually called gost maple but this is usually the variagated form.

Originally Posted by glenn k

Its a maple anything with those spinning winged seeds is a maple. This one is probably Acer negundo is a species of maple native to North America. Box Elder, Boxelder Maple, and Maple Ash are its most common names in the United States. Other variant names -- some of which are obviously regional - include Ash Maple, Ash-leaf Maple, Black Ash, California Boxelder, Cutleaf Maple, Cut-leaved Maple, Negundo Maple, Red River Maple, Stinking Ash, Sugar Ash, Three-leaved Maple, and Western Boxelder. In Canada it is known as Manitoba.
In Australia it is usually called gost maple but this is usually the variagated form.

HOLY heck Glenn!!! can we run some more ID's past ya?

Originally Posted by glenn k

Its a maple anything with those spinning winged seeds is a maple. This one is probably Acer negundo is a species of maple native to North America. Box Elder, Boxelder Maple, and Maple Ash are its most common names in the United States. Other variant names -- some of which are obviously regional - include Ash Maple, Ash-leaf Maple, Black Ash, California Boxelder, Cutleaf Maple, Cut-leaved Maple, Negundo Maple, Red River Maple, Stinking Ash, Sugar Ash, Three-leaved Maple, and Western Boxelder. In Canada it is known as Manitoba.
In Australia it is usually called gost maple but this is usually the variagated form.

Thanks Glenn, you are a wealth of information.

One more question.........will it produce good timber?

"The wood is weak and has little use as timber." a quote I found. It doesn't seem to have any feature in the pale wood. I saved a block for a friend who wanted a bit of maple (because he thought maple was good) but he didn't know what to make with it.
Well it stayed in the back of the ute for a week and the ends didn't split so maybe it's stable. Perhaps it looks good after it is stained try a bit. I use poplar a lot I like it its light and looks good with tung oil. I read that it was used for the backs of draws and other out of site things. But sorry I have never tried to mill any Maple they are too branchy and are usually rotten inside but I would if I got a good log.

I agree with Glenn's diagnosis. Acer nigundo, or Manitoba Maple was a common street tree where I lived in Canada for a while. Its wood is weak and bland and not particularly stable (all of the Maples are pretty lively) and yes, it has a characteristic unpleasant smell when cut, even when dry. It would serve ok as a secondary wood in the same way as poplar, I expect.

There was a Manitoba Maple tree just up the road from our house that was covered in burls from 50mm in diameter to about 500mm - it looked very scabrous & crook! Well, one day I was scooting up to get some stuff from the hardware store at opening time to finish a project on the last day of my holidays, and there was a gang of council workers with a couple of chainsaws, busily hacking this tree to bits. I screeched to a halt & rushed over & asked them what they were going to do with the wood. The bloke looked at me pityingly and said "Buddy, this crap ain't no good for firewood - best to just trash it". "Could you dump those ugly scabby bits in the back of my van?" says I. Another pitying look & "Sure, but don't say I didn't warn you..."

I got about 10 good-sized burls out of it, plus a few smaller bits & pieces. They were all solid, & to my eye, very spectacular. I gave many away to turner friends, and have made many things from them like fancy panels for small boxes & a few lamp bases. There are only about two smallish pieces left, so I use it pretty sparingly now.

I wouldn't cross the road to collect it as furniture wood, but I'd certainly grab any burls it might contain.
Cheers,