true mystery wood...

[waterlogged]

I have no idea what this is, but I ended up getting a lot of it. It's main, odd identifying trait is probably the small column of pith that's running down the middle of the log. You can see it well in one picture, and it has the consistency of foam insulation. Sorry, don't have any leaves.

In the bark picture the other log is cherry, just for contrast, and to remind myself that I got some other good wood, just in case this is some sort of willow. 

Oh yeah, it came from someone's garden in the bay area (California).

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[D. Tiller]

Ok! Where did you get it from? Was it in the dessert by any chance? Joshua Tree?

[Justin Snyder]

Definitely not a Joshua Tree.  The name seems to have escaped me right now, as kids we always called it corkwood.  I am familiar with it though. The wood is extremely soft and spongy like a willow or cottonwood. Perhaps even softer and spongier than cottonwood.  The sad part is you can find trees with 30' trunks without any knots or branches. I wouldn't even waste my time with it and I have even tried willow.  I'm sure the name will come to me as soon as I log off.  Justin

[anglobow]

Looks like ailanthus to me. Imported weed tree. Pretty much worthless by most standards, soft and brittle.     I have made a couple didgeridoos out of it though.

[Justin Snyder]

There you go. We called it Chinese sumac though, it is the same tree. It don't matter what you call it, it is still crap.  Justin

[MattE]

It looks like "China Berry" to me. If it grow straight up with no branches and has dime size balls on it, in groups,like grapes. I would definitely say it was "China Berry". 

[jamie]

definetly ailanthus. i cut 100s of those suckers down a year. a buddy of mine carves and likes em. also good for bow drills and drills . useless as bow wood.