Wood ID

American Elm

Single row of earlywood pores

Rays indistinct cross section (4-5 seriate)

Red/Slippery Elm

multiple rows of earlywood pores

darkish red-brown heartwood

rays relatively indisinct

Hackberry

multiple rows of earlywood pores

light brown heartwood with yellowish cast

rays more distinct than either elm

N. Red Oak

multiple rows of round earlywood pores

tyloses absent or sparse (distinguish from white oak)

Ray ends thick and distinctive

pink/red brown

White oak

Abundant tyloses (dif from n red)

“whiter” than red oak

latewood pores forming distinct dendritic masses

thick, distinct rays

Fraxinus americana

wide sapwood band

larger growth rings than Fraxinus nigra

aliform parenchyma

Fraxinus nigra

brighter wood than white ash

thinner growth rings than white ash

less obvious longitudinal parenchyma

True hickory

distinctive longitudinal parenchyma does not extend into earlywood pores

pecan hickory

distinctive longitudinal parenchyma extend into earlywood

may appear semi-ring porous instead of ring porous

Juglans cinerea (Butternut)

Distinctive- Fluted growth rings

solitary or short radial multiple pores

apotracheal and/or diffuse in aggregate longitudinal parenchyma

light brown, often streaky

Black walnut- Juglans nigra

Highly distinctive chocolate to purple wood

solitary or short multiple pores

short growth rings

Prunus serotina

Diffuse porous

deep brown/yellow color

indistinct pores

ray fleck is distinct- light on dark

Populus spp.

cannot be reliably separated by hand lens

indistinct rays and pores

Betula spp.

light brown, light

pores small and appear as white dot, always wider than rays

soft maple (red, silver, boxelder)

grayish cast/streaks

ray ends typically less obvious than hard maple

larger growth rings than hard maple

hard maple (Acer saccharum)

dense latewood band of dark brown

non obv LP

rays easily visible on cross ection

red alder (Alnus rubra)

reddish/pink tinted wood, indistinct growth rings

occasional wide aggregate rays

very light wood, indistinct but darker than aspen

American basswood (Tilia americana)

very light wood, marginal LP is reasonably distinct, less distinct than yellow-poplar

wide and evenly spaced rays, NODED

darker wood than aspen

yellow-poplar (Liriodendron Tulipifera)

highly distinct rays, obvious green color with fresh cut

wood appears similar to aspen, but more distinct rays

American beech (Fagus grandifolia)

noded rays apparent, rays either 1-5 seriate or 15-20 seriate (noded rays apparent here)

red gum

reddish brown w grey cast

thin irregular growth rings but obviously diffuse

rubberwood- Hevea brasiliensis

blond/tan with indistinct growth rings

diffuse with very large pores (single or 2-4)

LP forms grid pattern

wood feels rubbery, indistinct but not light

red lauan- Shorea spp.

large, evenly distributed pores, gum ducts, light brown wood

apitong- Dipterocarpus

exclusively large splitary pores (white dots), highly distinct grain

medium width rays

can be yellow/brown or red/brown

American mahogany- Switiena macrophylla

large diffuse pores, distinct rays, red wood

teak- Tectona grandis

variable pore arrangement, tyloses, distinct rays, golden brown color

soft pine (Pinus strobus)

very light, large, solitary resin canals, indistinct EW to LW transition, fusiform rays

hard pine

highly distinctive growth rings, resin canals obv in LW, appear as white dots, much denser than soft pine

spruce (picea spp.)

soft, white, and light. Look for resin canals to differentiate, canals can be solitary or short rows, show up in clusters (sporadic) distinct transition to LW

Doug fir/ larch (Psuedotsuga menziesii, Larix spp.)

smells funk as fuck when wet

resin canals in LW, distinct growth rings

hemlock/fir

gradual E-LW transition (more abrupt in hemlock)

medium percent latewood

often confused w/ spruce, but NO resin canals, gr more distinct

redwood- Sequoia sempervirens

deep brown but very light, obv thing gr and rays (form grid), coarse texture

baldcypress- Taxodium distichum

yellow EW, brown LW, abrupt transition. may smell funky, very thin gr

western red cedar- Thuja plicata

higher density than other softwoods, distinct gr, highly distinct sweet smell

eastern red cedar- Juniperus virginiana

cedar chest smell, very low density (carves easily), distinct growth rings