Adv Silv Wood I.D. Pictures & written descriptions

abundant resin canals esp. visible in summerwood X.S.

Abrupt Transition between springwood and summerwood

Yellowish wood, resin canals on tangential face

Yellow Pine (Loblolly)

resin canals yellow dots in summerwood X.S., less in # than other species

resin canal ¼ to ½ inch streak on tangential surface

gradual transition between springwood and summerwood

lighter color, lighter weight than other species

White Pine

semi-abrupt latewood transition

wood fine textured, lighter weight and color than other species

often with numerous rings per inch (rel. slow growth)

resin canals often few, obscure

Spruce (Black spruce)

Resin Canals Absent

distinct odor, “hampster shavings”

heart red/purple; sapwood creamt white, often in distinct inclusions

fine textured wood, springwood and summerwood distinct

Eastern Red Cedar

fairly abrupt transition between springwood and summerwood

latewood thickness quite variable, false rings often numerous

no resin canal streaks on tangential surface

coarse textured, often tighter annual rings than pine

wood with somewhat oily or greasy appearance

Cypress

Resin Canals Absent

distinct springwood and summerwood

heartwood dark red-brown, coarse texture

wood light weight, soft (indent w/ thumbnail)

often tight annual rings

Redwood

ring porous

thick rays easily visible to the naked eye

ray flecks ¼ to 1” long on tangential surface

reddish/pink cast to heartwood, vessel tyloses absent

latewood vessels in “flame” tracts

Red Oak

ring porous

thick rays easily visible to the naked eye

ray flecks ½ to 2” long on tangential surface

tan/gray cast to heartwood, vessel tyloses numerous

latewood vessels in “flame tracts”

white oak

ring porous

thinner rays visible with 10X handlens

wood tan to white color

yellow or grayish flecks on tangential surface in latewood

2 or more rows of earlywood vessels

latewood pores in “wavy” uniform bands

Hackberry

Ring porous

Thinner rays visible with 10x handlens

many tyloses in springwood vessels

discontinuous bands of parenchyma in summerwood

greenish / yellow heartwood, heavy

Black locust

Ring porous

Thinner rays visible with 10X Handlens

yellowish / tan wood, coarse grain on tangential surface

discontinuous bands, round, rhomboid parenchyma in Latewood

Ash

Ring porous

Rays very fine to indistinct, perhaps visible w/ 10X handlens

tyloses in springwood vessels

coarse grain on tangential surface

banded parenchyma in summerwood portion

heavy, Hard

Pecan (hickory)

Ring porous

Rays very fine to indistinct, perhaps visible w/ 10X handlens

latewood vessels small, but distinct wavy or zigzag pattern

single row of largest earlywood vessels

wood much heavier than similar species

Elm

Ring porous

Rays extremely faint, or not visible

medium brown color; soft, light weight

coarse grain on tangential

Chestnut

Ring porous

Rays extremely faint, or not visible

chocolate to purple-brown heartwood

reasonably hard, heavy

fresh cuts with lustrous appearance

Black Walnut

Diffuse porous

Bi- and multi-seriate rays visible on X.S.

variable thickness rays rather uniformly spaced

small closely-spaced ray flecks on tangential surface

growth rings with light-colored band in latewood (noded rays)

Sycamore

Diffuse porous

Bi- and multi-seriate rays visible on X.S.

variable thickness rays more irregularly spaced

wider spaced ray flecks on tangential surface

Beech

Diffuse porous

Heartwood with very distinctive color

rays distinct and uniform, noticeably lighter color (off-white?)

heartwood with reddish hue, fine grain texture

earlywood pores slightly larger than latewood

more lustrous

Cherry

Diffuse porous

Heartwood with very distinctive color

rays distinct, olive-green to olive brown heartwood

light weight, easily dented with thumbnail

growth ring terminated by boundary parenchyma (appears as a thin pale band)

Yellow Poplar

Diffuse porous

dark band at latewood boundary

wood hard, heavy; occas. w/ birds-eye or curly grain figure

lustrous sheen to wood

uni- and bi-seriate rays, NOT as variable as other species

Hard Maple

Diffuse porous

rays numerous, very small, but closely spaced

fairly light wood (color and weight)

reddish tint heartwood (if present) less lustrous than other species

Sweetgum

Diffuse porous

growth rings terminated by boundary parenchyma

rays fairly distinct ; light color, fine grain texture

wood soft, easily dented w/ thumbnail, wood very uniform

very uniform, tangential view w/ no outstanding characteristics

Baswood

Diffuse porous

fine but visible, medium weight and hardness

vessels medium /small, uniform in size

vessel diameter wider than ray thickness on X.S.

Birch (Yellow Birch)