Wood ID?

[Mike A. Smith]

Any ideas? Just got gifted with this from North Carolina. The guy that sent it is a botanist and he says he won't know what it is until it flowers this spring. They said some kind of plum-like fruit grew on it (maybe plums). I thought somebody might recognize it since the bark looks kinda unique. They also said there were thorns on it, but they must have all got knocked off in transit.

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Sorry, I snapped the pics before I wet it, it turned a really deep rust color.

[Brian McInturff]

If the limb laying next to it in pic 2 is from the same tree I'm inclined to say Crabapple. Looks like some good turning whatever it is:).

[Mike A. Smith]

Nope, the limb is wild black cherry.

[David Wilhelm]

Not 100% sure but looks like you've got some hedge apple, mock orange, osage orange. The bark looks near to my tree but the core color throws me in your pic. if this fruit he told you about is a hard nottie ball about the size of a baseball and green. Then thats what you've got. If it's soft like a plum then it's something else

[Brian McInturff]

Oh, oh well, I was close:D.

[CW McClellan]

In pic # 3 looks like a dog on leash to me
sitting beside wood :eek::D

[Nathan Hawkes]

Not 100% sure but looks like you've got some hedge apple, mock orange, osage orange. The bark looks near to my tree but the core color throws me in your pic. if this fruit he told you about is a hard nottie ball about the size of a baseball and green. Then thats what you've got. If it's soft like a plum then it's something else


+1 on this answer. Wood is yellow when freshly cut, but will turn a rust color with UV exposure. It also has thorns, and the "oranges". Its pretty hard stuff when dry.

[George Guadiane]

I'm going with cherry too!
Looks like it will have VERY interesting growth rings and figure.
Show us a picture of what you make it into!!

[David Wilhelm]

Osage orange...http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/osage%20orange/osage%20orange%209f%20s25%20q60%20plh.jpg

[Tim Vice]

I would guess it to be hedge

[William Bachtel]

It is not Osage Or. It is most likely a Cherry, but not a Wild Black Cherry,could be a fruit Cherry.

[Nathan Hawkes]

There are no cherry trees with thorns. If its a native tree, its either a locust or osage orange. Since it has fruit, its likely an osage. The bark looks a bit like cherry, but the thorns.....

[David Wilhelm]

I have lived in NC all my life and i've never seen a cherry tree wild or other wise that has thorns. I have a osage orange tree here on the farm and know what one looks like. That being said there is another three the damson that has a plum fruit and a thorn like the lucust the bark looks of normal fruit. Can't recall the wood color after fresh cut but I've got one of those too. Mike if it's orange/brown/yellow in color, it's osage orange. locust has thorns and fruit but the fruit is a bean pod shape.

[Brian McInturff]

How about Hawthorn. they have thorns and the bark is similar. Can't remember what fruit it has though.

[Mike A. Smith]

For what it's worth, the guy that sent it says it is definitely not osage orange. He says he will be able to identify it when it blossums this spring. They've just moved into a new house and only saw the fruit after it had shriveled up.

[Cody Colston]

I don't know what it is but I know what it isn't...it's definitely NOT Osage Orange.

[Jim Underwood]

You'd know if it was Osage Orange. There's no mistaking that highlighter yellow sawdust coming out of the chainsaw/bandsaw etc. You'll know as soon as you cut it with anything.

It wouldn't be Locust with fruit, because they're in the legume family and have pods, as those above have said.

If it had thorns it could well be a plum. They've got thorns. I've got a really small shrubby one outside the back door, and it's got thorns. Plum is a nice hard wood that turns well, and has a nice variable brown color. Split it, and seal it up good or rough it out right away, and you'll have some nice pieces before too long.
And I've never heard of any other fruit trees with thorns.

My money is on the plum...

[Reed Gray]

Looks like plum due to the color, but they don't have thorns. With the thorns, I would guess hawthorn also. Seldom very big. The ornamental ones tend to have a lot of very deep bark inclusions. The color looks totally wrong to me for osage.
robo hippy

[David Wilhelm]

Everyone seems to know what it's not. I'm like Jim saw it out and turn something. Your buddy and you have the best chance at putting the name on this wood. You have it in your hand and he has the tree. We have the Clues you've given and I've enjoyed the game. Your latest clue is that the fruit has laid there and shriveled up. Lets now try Wild pear. While wild plum does have thorns and could very well fall off and shrivel up. of the two i'd say the pear would lay there the longest so since we are ALL now guessing I'll GUESS WILD PEAR.

[Jim Underwood]

Wild plum does have thorns, although you may not recognize them as such, since they do not grow as sharp as some:

http://tinyurl.com/2gbpf6

Check this link out, it has pictures of immature plums and "thorns".

I saw a picture of a Hawthorne branch with a berry on it. I see they definitely have fruit and thorns, but berries would be fairly small. How large was this 'shriveled' fruit?

[Mike A. Smith]

If/when I get an answer I'll post it since everyone seems to like the game!

[Scott Lux]

I'm new here, but I'll chime in. Hawthorns (at least those in my area) have a crabapple/cherry-like fruit. I vote for Osage Orange as well.

Lux

[Mike A. Smith]

Thanks for all the discussion guys! I guess we'll know for sure in a few months when it blooms. As soon as I can get something finished out of this, I'll post it and we can start all over again.