Unit 5 Wood ID Characteristics

American Beech

Avg. SG: .64

Rays: 15-25 cells wide

Vessel to Vessel Pitting: Alternate

Perforation Plates: Simple

Spiral Thickening: Absent

Has storied rays and has grain pattern reminiscent of red oak

Sycamore

Avg. SG: .49

Rays: 14 cells wide

Vessel to Vessel Pitting: Opposite

Perforation Plates: Simple

Spiral Thickening: Absent

Very easy to confuse with maple

Sugar Maple

Avg. SG: .63

Rays: 8 cells wide

Vessel to Vessel Pitting: Alternate

Perforation Plates: Simple

Spiral Thickening: Present

Different grain pattern from the other maples

Has marginal banded parenchyma

Red Maple

Avg. SG: .54

Rays: 5 cells wide

Vessel to Vessel Pitting: Alternate

Perforation Plates: Simple

Spiral Thickening: Present

Has marginal banded parenchyma. Has less color variation than silver maple

Silver Maple

Avg. SG: .44

Rays: 3 cells wide

Vessel to Vessel Pitting: Alternate

Perforation Plates: Simple

Spiral Thickening: Present

Has marginal banded parenchyma. Has more color variation than red maple

Black Cherry

Avg. SG: .5

Rays: 6 cells wide

Vessel to Vessel Pitting: Alternate

Perforation Plates: Simple

Spiral Thickening: Present

Contains a continuous line of pores at the start of a growth ring

Red Alder

Avg. SG: .41

Rays: 1 cell wide, with rays occasionally being 20 cells wide

Vessel to Vessel Pitting: Alternate to Opposite

Perforation Plates: Scalariform

Spiral Thickening: Absent

Yellow Birch

Avg. SG: .62

Rays: 1-5 cells wide

Vessel to Vessel Pitting: Very small alternate

Perforation Plates: Very fire Scalarifrom

Spiral Thickening: Absent