can u help indentify this wood please?

[mr dazzler]

I have this tree in my garden and I dont know what it is, can any one help me indentify it please ?

SOME OF THE FOILAGE

A SECTION OF SPLIT BRANCH (2 1/2 INCH DIAM)

A SECTION OF BRANCH FROM A DIFFERENT SHRUB, AGAIN HAVENT A CLUE AS TO SPECEIS

THE TREE IS ABOUT 50 TO 60 FOOT HIGH AND ABOUT 30 TO 34 INCH AT THE BASE. IS IT A YEW TREE? MANY THANKS JONATHAN

 

[Tengu]

Ive seen this tree before, but its not native.

Its not a yew as the leaves are too light in colour and the bark too shaggy

a yew at this time of year would have red berries on

does it drop its leaves?

 

[SOAR]

It looks like a Dawn redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides the needles are the same appearing in in pairs opposite each other and so do the buds. The bole is fluted similar to the dawn redwood. Does it shed its needles in the winter?.

 

[jojo]

Looks like it could be a Grand Fir, from the leaves:
http://www.brassett.org.uk/trees/abigrs.html

Which has apparently replaced the European Silver Fir in plantations because it grow very quickly.

But don't take my word for it

 

[mr dazzler]

Hi Tengu,
To be honest I dont know if it drops its foliages, I never noticed yet. The "bark" is more like the texture of cedar wood, soft and spongy. My house was built about 10 years ago, the land used to be part of the pub car park, but it looks a well mature tree that was there a long time before he house was built, but it wasnt ever a domestic garden until recently as far as I know . The hedge is hundreds of years old, and I intend to do my bit to conserve it. My neighbour's house was built at the time of the reformation and was owned by the same family until the 1980's

And thankyou for the other replies also, soar and Jojo. I am sort of intrigued if it is of any potential use, eg if it will cleave well, although that seems unlikely
as theres quite a lot of side branches. But the split sample of branch reveals a quite nice strong figure which would look well on chair legs etc

 

[SOAR]

Its not a Grand Fir the bark doesn't match as it has smooth bark with resin blisters.is the bark red?.

 

[mr dazzler]

Yes I would say a coppery sandy red colour despite the green tinge's from whatever it is that causes the green tinge's (mould/fungus??) It sometimes almost appear's to have a slight subtle silvery sheen as well. Its surface is not hard gritty or abrasive like an oak or big ash. You can alnost peel off paper thin outer layers

 

[SOAR]

Looking at the buds on the foliage pic i would say its a dawn redwood the buds are unique as they appear below the the branches instead of in the axils. also the bark on a dawn redwood is shaggy and peals. also the branches sweep upwards .

 

[mr dazzler]

I just read a little about dawn redwood's, aparently they only came to britain in 1949, and the one planetd back then at Cambridge University botanical garden is now 22 meter's high. My one isnt quite that high but not far off; mysterious how one got into Yaxley so early after introduction. It is right next to a pond (that was dug over 500 years ago when the farmhouse next door was built and they used the clay for daub, now its home to ducks and moorhen's) so the dawn redwood's appetite for water makes sense. Theres a huge old ash the other side of the pond and they are greedy for water too

 

[SOAR]

its also known as the water fir, and until 1941 was believed to be extinct since the pliocene era which was about 2 million years ago. it can be reproduced easily from cuttings and it is becoming more widely planted in britain. because the dawn redwood is a recent introduction not alot is known for its timber qualitys, so if you make some chair legs let us know how they get on.

 

[mr dazzler]

I got my eye on the front fork of the tree, its as stariaght as a snooker cue and about 12 inch diam upwards, and clear branch free sections about 4 to 5 foot apart. The small bit I split had an oak like coarseness and texture, fibrous and stringy like ash as well. I was expecting a soft cedar type wood judging from the outer bark. I dont know how the attractive pink/brown colouration will change as the wood dries? The small branches snedded as clean and easily as hazel, even 1 inch plus diam. It would be a job felling or pollarding even part of it though due to restricted space, size of tree and proposed cut of log etc. But you would also get some fansatic bowls out of the bole so to speak
Thanks for your help soar and everyone cheers Jonathan

 

[fishfish]

what ever it is that wood would make great knife handles!!!!

 

[spamel]

I wonder if you could use it to make a bow?