Pepperwood - Myrtlewood Firewood (2024)

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Pepperwood - Myrtlewood Firewood (1)

Pepperwood firewood burns similar to other hardwoods such as oak but produces less ash. The wood also has a nice fragrance. Pepperwood is a broadleaf evergreen also know as Oregon Myrtle, California Bay Laurel, California Olive as well as other names. Pepperwood is closely related to the bay leaves that are commonly used for seasoning. The leaves emit a strong fragrance when crushed and the wood and olive-like fruit called umbels are also fragrant. Like many other hardwoods Pepperwood sprouts back from the stump when the tree is cut down and the sprouts grow vigorously into new trees since they have an already established root system from the parent tree. Pepperwood is used for making hardwood lumber, commonly known as myrtlewood, and also makes excellent firewood.

Pepperwood Firewood BTU Rating

Pepperwood - Myrtlewood Firewood (6)
Pepperwood - Myrtlewood Firewood (7)
Pepperwood - Myrtlewood Firewood (8)
Pepperwood - Myrtlewood Firewood (9)

Post your comments about pepperwood firewood below.

  1. It also helps with migraines and sinus headaches! 🙂

  2. I work for a timber company and had easy access to an unlimited supply of pepperwood logs last summer. I cut about three cords worth and used it for firewood in my woodstove this winter and its great. It burns nice and hot and usually doesn’t have much bark so its fairly clean. I am going back for more this summer!

  3. I am glad that pepperwood is safe to burn in a wood burning fireplace. Although, my tree was infested with beehives. I hope this doesn’t matter and I was told by several people they have a nasty smell when burning them. Thank you for your link.

  4. Is it best to split Pepperwood when it’s green or wait till it seasons?

  5. Split it green. Pepperwood can often be stringy and tough and gets even tougher as it dries. It also dries faster when split. Left in rounds pepperwood can stay green enough to start growing new shoots and leaves long after they are cut, under the right conditions.

  6. I was trying to find info on the pepper tree to determine its ability to be worked with…such as carving. ie: tooling the wood

  7. Has anyone tried using the leaves for seasoning (like bay leaves in soups, stews, etc.)?

  8. Mary Cooper: I have; I pop two or three leaves in stews. My palate is not tremendously refined, but tastes good to me!

  9. I used Pepperwood to roast chicken and pork on over a flame. It gives it a nice flavor and aroma.

  10. I add a few leaves to my Kamado BBQ when doing things that take a while like roasts or chickens. Adds a very nice flavor. the wood burns nice, but is tough to cut. Wear a respirator if chipping slash. Shredding many leaves at a time makes a nasty mist, makes me sick for a few days.

  11. looking for myrtlewood rounds

  12. looking for myrtlewood rounds to turn on lathe, would need to have it delivered thx pat

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Pepperwood - Myrtlewood Firewood (2024)

FAQs

Does pepperwood make good firewood? ›

Pepperwood is used for making hardwood lumber, commonly known as myrtlewood, and also makes excellent firewood.

Is Pepperwood a hard wood? ›

Hardness: very soft (rated 6 on a 6-class scale) to indent and work with hand tools. Machining: easy to work due to its softness; excellent carving timber.

How many cords of wood do I need? ›

Experts typically recommend 2-3 cords of wood per every 1,000 square feet for homes in frigid climates like ours. You'll probably be okay using less wood if you have hot-burning hardwood like hickory or oak and have a highly efficient wood-burning appliance.

What is pepperwood used for? ›

Pepperwood is often used for high end woodworking articles, wood furniture, and veneer.

What are the worst woods for firewood? ›

Alder – Poor – The fire it produces is very low heat and does not last long. Not good for any kind of fire. Apple – Good – Produces small but long lasting flame that gives off very little spitting or smoke. Ash – Very Good – Considered the best wood for burning (as the name would suggest).

Is Myrtlewood good firewood? ›

Crape Myrtle makes good firewood when it's clean and dry. However, pretty much any kind of wood can make for decent firewood under those conditions. The best firewood comes from hardwood trees like beech, hickory, mahogany, oak, walnut, and maple.

How hard is Myrtlewood? ›

Otherwise, the wood is fairly stable. Myrtle is considerably weaker than oak. The strength (MOR) of myrtle is 8000 psi, the stiffness (MOE) is 0.95 million psi, and hardness is 1270 pounds.

What is myrtle wood used for? ›

Oregon-myrtle's fine-grained, relatively heavy wood is easily machined into woodenware (salad bowls, spoons), gifts, and novelty items. Other uses include gunstocks, trim, cabinetry, paneling, and veneer.

What is the hardest wood in the USA? ›

What is the hardest wood in North America? Of locally available woods, Black Ironwood is typically the strongest type of wood you can find in America. It's found in Florida and has a 3,660 lbf (16,280 N) Janka rating. Other strong North American woods include species of hickory, maples, oaks, walnuts, and beeches.

How heavy is 4 cords of wood? ›

Some factors include how dry the wood is, the specific species in the wood, and how green the wood is. However, a standard cord of wood weighs anything from 2000 to 3000 pounds.

How much firewood do I need for 3 days? ›

If you're asking yourself, “How much firewood do I need for my upcoming camping trip?” worry not, we're here to help. In fact, most campers will find that they need between 2 and 5 bundles of firewood per day, or about 1 bundle an hour for their campground campfire.

How long will 1 cord of wood last? ›

Most experts agree that if you make one or two fires at home per week, a full cord of firewood should last eight to twelve weeks.

What is a pepperwood? ›

Definitions of pepperwood. Pacific coast tree having aromatic foliage and small umbellate flowers followed by olivelike fruit; yields a hard tough wood. synonyms: California bay tree, California laurel, California olive, Oregon myrtle, Umbellularia californica, mountain laurel, sassafras laurel, spice tree.

Can you use bay tree as firewood? ›

A: Sounds like a great idea for a rainy December night. California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) trees make lovely firewood, giving off a pleasant fragrance ... as long as they are prepped properly.

What is the lifespan of a bay tree? ›

A bay laurel plant can live for up to 50 years and perhaps longer, barring fatal diseases or injury from cold temperatures.

What is the hardest firewood to burn? ›

As a general rule, most coniferous or softwood trees – trees that have needles rather than leaves – are not well suited for burning. As the softwood name implies, they tend to have much softer, less dense wood than deciduous trees, meaning they provide less fuel for the fire and don't produce as much heat.

What is the cleanest burning firewood? ›

Softwood Logs

According to research, softwoods leave behind less creosote in the chimney flue than hardwoods. In climates with temperatures that can quickly fluctuate, such as in some southern states, softwood is often the best firewood to burn.

Why is Myrtlewood so expensive? ›

Because Oregon Myrtlewood is hardwood featuring beautiful colors, fine-grained patterns, and burls, it is one the most expensive wood in America. The tree becomes the favorite material for small woodworking shops and individual crafters.

How rare is Myrtlewood? ›

No large stands of this unique tree are to be found, but rather they are scattered in small groves throughout the lower valleys along rivers in Southwestern Oregon. Centuries are required to grow a myrtlewood tree large enough to yield usable board lumber.

How do you clean Myrtlewood? ›

Wipe clean and/or hand wash and hand dry. Do not put in a Dishwasher or soak in the sink. Do not use to store moist foods. With care, your myrtlewood should last for generations.

Does Myrtlewood float? ›

Myrtlewood Facts:

Green Myrtlewood is so heavy it won't float. Each piece is as different as a set of fingerprints. One of the world's largest known Myrtle trees is just minutes from Gold Beach up the Rogue River. Myrtlewood is very slow growing.

What is the hardest wood to use? ›

Australian Buloke – 5,060 IBF

Known as the hardest wood in the world, this particular type has a Janka hardness of 5,060 lbf.

What does Myrtlewood look like? ›

The leaves are 3 to 5 inches long, 1 inch wide, pointed at the tip, medium green, glossy on top, and dull light green beneath. The crushed leaves have a powerful aromatic scent which can be used as a sure identification.

Is Myrtlewood a hardwood or softwood? ›

The Myrtlewood Tree is a very special broadleaf hardwood which is also an evergreen species.

Is myrtle a strong wood? ›

It is a relatively hardy plant and requires only a minimum of maintenance. Its beautiful flowers make it a stunning ornamental plant, and its rather hard wood makes it useful for crafts.

How long does myrtle last? ›

Common myrtle shrubs produce lovely, small white flowers from summer until fall. The myrtle blooming season begins as early as June and can last until October. Myrtle flowers last for a few weeks or a couple of months.

What is the weakest wood? ›

Characteristics of balsa wood make it a unique hardwood albeit, when weight for weight basis is excluded, it is the weakest of all commercial species.

What is the most weakest wood? ›

Note: A hardwood named Quipo (Cavanillesia platanifolia) is commonly reported as the softest known wood, with an alleged Janka hardness of 22 lbf (98 N).

What is the most expensive wood? ›

African Blackwood

It is considered as the most expensive wood in the world because not only it is challenging to work with hand or machine tools, its trees are already near-threatened. But as expensive as it may seem, African Blackwood is worth the price.

How much wood is in a loggers cord? ›

It is typically 600 to 800 pieces of firewood. Regulations about cord size can vary by country. In the United States, the definition of a cord is typically a volume of 128 cubic feet—or a stack that is 4 feet wide, 4 feet high, and 8 feet long.

How much firewood is in a loggers cord? ›

Typically, a full cord will contain somewhere between 600 and 800 pieces of firewood. If the company you purchase from cuts their logs shorter, you will probably get closer to 800 pieces. And if the pieces are longer, you will probably get around 600 pieces.

How many cords is a loggers cord? ›

Each loggers cord equals about 3 face cord, so our 20 loggers cords translates to about 60 face cords.

How long should firewood sit before burning? ›

Wood burned inside the home should always be dry and seasoned for at least 6-12 months. Wood burns most efficiently when the moisture content is at 20% or less. Damp wood burns at a cooler temperature, resulting in incomplete combustion, more smoke, and dangerous creosote build-up in the chimney (a fire hazard).

Can firewood dry in 3 months? ›

How long does it take to season firewood? It can take 3-12 months or longer to season firewood. On average, it usually takes around 6-months to dry out the cut-firewood that you purchased from a store or supplier. Depending on the original timber's moisture content, it can take more or less time to season.

How long should firewood dry before using? ›

Wait at least 6 months and up to 12 months for dry firewood depending on type of wood. Hardwoods like oak and maple dry more slowly than soft woods like pine and spruce. To ensure dry firewood, wait at least 12 months before burning. To test, bang two pieces together; dry wood sounds hollow, wet wood sounds dull.

Can a cord of wood fit in a pickup? ›

Consumers should be on their guard, because a pick-up cannot hold a cord of firewood. An 8-foot truck bed can hold one-half of a cord while a 6-foot bed can barely hold one-third of a cord.

How many cords of wood do I need to heat a 3000 square foot house? ›

For colder climates, such as the Northeast and Midwestern states, using wood as a primary heat source, we recommend having 2-3 cords per 1,000 square feet of heating space. As for warmer climates, such as Mid-Atlantic and Southern states, 1-2 cords per 1,000 square feet of heating space should suffice.

What does a full cord of wood look like? ›

A common question among homeowners is, “what is the size of a cord of wood?” In the United States, a full cord of wood size is 4' x 8' x 4' (4 feet tall, 8 feet long, 4 feet deep), which equals 128 cubic feet. A cord of firewood and a full cord is, in most cases, the same thing.

Where does pepperwood grow? ›

californica f. pendula Rehd. California bay occurs in the Klamath, Siskiyou, and Coast Ranges from Douglas County, Oregon south to San Diego County, California, and on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada from Shasta County south to Kern County. It is found along drainages in the Central Valley, California .

What is a nick slang? ›

Slang. to trick, cheat, or defraud: How much did they nick you for that suit? British Slang. to arrest (a criminal or suspect). to capture; nab. to steal: Someone nicked her pocketbook on the bus.

What does Nick mean shaving? ›

: a small cut or wound. got a few nicks from shaving. : a break in one strand of two-stranded DNA caused by a missing phosphodiester bond.

Which trees make poor firewood? ›

Aspen, basswood and willow trees all have very soft wood of generally poor quality for burning and producing heat.

What tree is best firewood? ›

Oak – White and Red Oak trees make great firewood because of its strength and density, which helps to produce great heat. Hickory – Hickory is of similar quality and density to Oak, making it another great option.

What trees grow the fastest for firewood? ›

The Usain Bolt of trees – willow is the quickest tree out of the blocks! Incredible high yield biomass growth in just 4 years. Let's look at the pros first – easy to grow, cheap planting stock, very fast growing, excellent yield and good form. You can produce log scale willow in just 4 years.

Are bay trees valuable? ›

Bay trees are valuable evergreen shrubs that UK households adore for their ornamental and culinary benefits.

Can you eat bay tree berries? ›

Many people wonder, can you eat them? One of the oldest cultivated tree species, the Bay Leaf Tree has been a regular addition to traditional foods for centuries, its leaves and berries adding a distinct flavor to dishes around the world.

What is the difference between a bay and a bay laurel? ›

If they have both a pistil and a ring of stamens, it's a California bay; if it has only half of the plant sexual apparatus, it's a bay laurel.

What is the highest quality firewood? ›

Hardwoods such as maple, oak, ash, birch, and most fruit trees are the best burning woods that will give you a hotter and longer burn time. These woods have the least pitch and sap and are generally cleaner to handle.

Which wood makes the best firewood? ›

Oak: Known for its long, slow burns, oak is likely the best firewood wood. Oak is a dense hardwood available throughout most regions of North America. While oak wood can take a little longer to become properly seasoned than other firewoods, the fire from well seasoned oak in your wood stove can't be beat.

What is the best tasting firewood? ›

Best Wood for Cooking

Fruit woods, such as cherry and apple, are two examples of hardwoods that are great for cooking. These woods enhance your food's flavor by creating a sweet smoke that lingers and elevates the taste. You can also use hickory and mesquite.

What firewood gives the best heat? ›

The basic rule for home heating: The higher the heat value of the wood, the more efficiently it will warm your home. According to fireplace, hearth, and chimney supplier Northline Express, sugar maple, ash, red oak, beech, birch, hickory, pecan and apple are among the hardwoods with the highest heat values.

What wood should not be burned? ›

Plywood, particle board, chipboard, wood pallets or any wood with glue on or in it: Do not burn on anything man-made. This includes wood that has been stained, sealed or treated with any kind of glues or oils (even if they are natural oils).

What firewood burns the hottest and longest? ›

For the serious fire lover, you may want to invest in hardwoods like madrone, live oak, ash, hickory, walnut and fruit trees like apple or cherry. Hardwoods are denser woods that burn hotter and longer than softwoods, but you'll need to let them season more than a year.

What is the hottest longest burning firewood? ›

Seasoned hardwoods make the best firewood. Hardwoods like oak, cherry and maple are denser than softwoods like pine or cedar. Due to their density, they burn longer and produce more heat or BTUs.

What is the best thickness for firewood? ›

For most types of firewood, it is best to split logs into pieces around 12-14 inches (30-35 cm) long and 3-5 inches (7-12 cm) wide. This size is ideal as it provides suitable airflow for faster drying and igniting times.

How do you know if wood is good for firewood? ›

To identify well-seasoned wood, check the ends of the logs. If they are dark in colour and cracked, they are dry. Dry seasoned wood is lighter in weight than wet wood and makes a hollow sound when hitting two pieces together. If there is any green colour visible or bark is hard to peel, the log is not yet dry.

Which firewood smells best? ›

Hickory provides the most classic smell

It's difficult to describe the aroma of a hickory-burning fire without smelling it yourself (although some people we know compare it to fresh-baked ham). It's sweet and savory, but subtle and not overbearing.

What firewood burns brightest? ›

What Firewood Burns Best
  • Hickory-This wood has a high number of BTUs and is dense.
  • Oak-Just make sure you have seasoned it well (see above).
  • Black Locust-This is a very dense wood, which has a number of BTUs similar to hickory.
  • Beech-Best burned seasoned; does not necessarily burn well when green.
Jan 31, 2020

What is the slowest burning wood? ›

Oak is the slowest wood to season, at approximately 2.5cm a year and ideally should be seasoned for a minimum of two years. Because of its density, it is a wood that's slow to burn as firewood and is best used in a mix of faster-burning logs. This wood can help to keep the fire burning at night if required.

Which firewood burns the fastest? ›

Softwoods, such as spruce and red cedar wood, are less dense than hardwoods like elm, oak, and beech wood. Because of this lower density level, softwoods burn more quickly than hardwoods.

What is the best wood to burn in winter? ›

The best kinds of wood to burn this winter
  • Oak. Oak is probably the nicest burning firewood available. ...
  • Birch. Birch is a great choice when you want quick heat. ...
  • Maple. There are a lot of maple trees in the Northern Hemisphere and they're a good choice when you're looking for firewood. ...
  • Pine. ...
  • Douglas Fir.
Feb 15, 2023

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