Wood identification sources

[Bobby O'Neal]

Anybody have any good sources, preferably online, for learning to id wood species? I'm pretty green and would love to be able to id by grain, bark, leaves. Thanks.

[Montgomery Scott]

Try the US Forest Service web pages. They have quite a bit of information including technical data.

[Erik France]

The Audobon Guides are pretty good too.
http://www.audubonguides.com/categories/Trees/landing.html

[Gary Herrmann]

Google hobbit house wood.

[Andrew Arndts]

There is also the Wood Book by Klaus Ulrich Leistikow. I think I saw one eBay. That seller wants like $20. I would put in a link but I dunno if that would be in violation of the rules

[Dave MacArthur]

Wood And Tree Info Basic Wood Anatomy and Behavior (http://www.organicjewelry.com/woodanatomy.html) Janka hardness (http://www.sizes.com/units/janka.htm) Wood Hazards A Guide to Potentially Dangerous Hardwoods (http://www.organicjewelry.com/woodhazards.html) chart_janka.pdf (application/pdf Object) (http://tinytimbers.com/pdf/chart_janka.pdf) Exotic Wood Pictures: Exotic Wood displayed, described, and identified (http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/indextotal.htm) BoDD (Botanical Dermatology Database) – LEGUMINOSAE: Gastrolobium - Kotschya (http://bodd.cf.ac.uk/BotDermFolder/LEGU-6.html) PLANTS Profile for Gleditsia triacanthos (honeylocust) | USDA PLANTS (http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=GLTR) Thin Scrollsaw Wood, and Intarsia boards and lumber (http://www.thinboards.com/ThickerBoards.aspx)

[Bobby O'Neal]

Great. Thanks, gents.

[Danny Hamsley]

Tree ID and wood ID are a passion of mine. I have been studying them for 35 years. The very best book on tree ID for your part of the country is "Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide" by L. Katherine Kirkman, Claude L. Brown, and Donald J. Leopold. Published in 2007 by Timber Press, Inc. It is excellent.

Feel free to contact me anytime. If you want some field training and are willing to come to Perry, GA for a day, let me know.

[Van Huskey]

Tree ID and wood ID are a passion of mine. I have been studying them for 35 years. The very best book on tree ID for your part of the country is "Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide" by L. Katherine Kirkman, Claude L. Brown, and Donald J. Leopold. Published in 2007 by Timber Press, Inc. It is excellent.

Feel free to contact me anytime. If you want some field training and are willing to come to Perry, GA for a day, let me know.


The key to tree ID is the "keys". The Kirkman book has great ones for the Southeast. I have a monster tome somewhere that is all line drawings with excellent keys and by far the best one I have ever owned but haven't used it in years and don't even know where to begin to look for it. Chances are it is out of print anyway.

[Bobby O'Neal]

Tree ID and wood ID are a passion of mine. I have been studying them for 35 years. The very best book on tree ID for your part of the country is "Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide" by L. Katherine Kirkman, Claude L. Brown, and Donald J. Leopold. Published in 2007 by Timber Press, Inc. It is excellent.

Feel free to contact me anytime. If you want some field training and are willing to come to Perry, GA for a day, let me know.



Danny, I sincerely appreciate it. I'm not sure I could make that happen anytime soon but I'm a big believer in generations pouring into those under them. Thank you!

[Gary Herrmann]

Danny, can you recommend a book for my part of the country?

If you're interested, I'm sure a whole bunch of us would be interested in reading whatever posts you care to put up about your experience.


Thanks

[Danny Hamsley]

Gary,

The Kirkman and Brown book is regional. The best ones are. Not having worked in your area, I am not up to date on the best publications. Maybe some other members here can chime in. Being a Forester, I have had the opportunity to travel the entire southern US in my duties, and I have enjoyed the opportunity to always learn new stuff. I went to Michigan for a cook-out with the members of a forestry forum several times, and I am amazed by how much new stuff there is to learn. Northern red oak bark in Michigan and in Georgia are a good bit different. That's OK, it just make it challenging!

It there is interest, we could post some "What is it?" threads on species and wood ID and have some great discussions about identification characteristics and properties.

[Dave MacArthur]

Yes, Danny, that would be fun and I'd love such posts! Everyone loves a "what tree is this?" post.

[Brian Tymchak]

The Audobon Guides are pretty good too.
http://www.audubonguides.com/categories/Trees/landing.html

Erik, that's a great site! Thanks for the link.

Brian