Is Russian Olive A Hardwood

Technically olive is a part of the oleaceæ family and is more closely related to ash fraxinus spp and lilac syringa vulgaris.

Is russian olive a hardwood.

Olivewood olea spp is sometimes confused with russian olive elaeagnus angustifolia though it bears little relation to true olive and is in an entirely different family of trees. It has a strong cat urine odor when turned green and i m sure any lumber would. Europe africa middle east olivewood is an exotic wood that is native to europe africa and the middle east. Don t burn it until it has seasoned for at least one year.

Russian olive wood produces an unpleasant odor when green. Olive is diffuse porous while russian olive is ring porous. I am allergic to russian olive when it is growing. I have turned many smaller bowls from it but getting from green rough turning to final turning after a kind of controlled air drying without checks is problematic.

Fires made solely with this wood are difficult to start. Russian olive wood burns very slowly. A secret weapon in wood identification. Does anyone know anything about using it for firewood.

Russian olive is not closely related to the wood that is commonly referred to as olivewood olea europaea and may be distinguished from true olive by the endgrain. Called hardwood cuttings roots will form more easily for this particular tree. Most russian olive at most will be 12 inch diameter at 5 feet with all kinds of branching above that. I have a russian olive that i cut down about 4 months ago and has been sitting in 100f weather for three weeks.

Russian olive elaeagnus angustifolia while generally small and branching russian olive trees can produce wood that ranges in color from yellowish brown to darker golden brown sometimes with a greenish hue and light yellow white sapwood. Use a combination of woods instead.