tree I'd?

[TimothyR]

I thought this was mulberry...but I'm not sure now.  Anyone have any ideas?

[autologus]

It looks like mulberry to me.

Grady

[okie64]

Yep mulberry. It will have heartwood in the trunk and the bigger limbs.

[TimothyR]

Ok  I thought so just wanted to make sure.  I'm having to cut a very large one down.   I think it may be a nice score.

[TimothyR]

Also anyone ever try a bow with root. It has a large root that's out of the ground.  Its about 12 inches thick. I know it sounds ignorant but I thought I'd ask.

[Pat B]

I believe it is called paper  mulberry(Broussonetia papyrifera). Not a true mulberry but has similar fruit.

[okie64]

Not trying to hijack your thread but since we're talking about mulberry I have few questions for Pat or anyone else who might know. Are paper mulberry and white mulberry the same tree? If not, how do you tell the difference. Also how do you tell difference in white and red mulberry? Ive always thought the white mulberry trees have the big leave(like 5" across) and red mulberry have the smaller leaves but I could be wrong about that. We have quite a few  mulberry trees around here but I never know what kind they are.

[Pat B]

Paper mulberry and white mulberry are not the same or related. White mulberry(Morus alba) has similar leaves(lobed) but paper mulberry(Broussonetia papyrifolera) leaves are more pubescent(fuzzy). Red mulberry(Morus alba) has sorta  heart shaped, toothed leaves but not lobed.
The inner bark of the paper mulberry was woven into fabrics in it indigenous home in Asia.

[TimothyR]

So pat...will it make a decent bow?  I have two logs about 10-12" in diameter.  Haven't split them yet but will sat or sun. And they are 6' long. I will need to straighten them if that is possible.

[TacticalFate]

I don't think paper mulberry will make a good bow, it's quite light and brittle. It makes up for it in the bark though, makes great cordage and lashings.

[DarkSoul]

Here's what World of Agroforestry has to say about the wood of Broussonetia papyrifera:

Timber: The wood is light-coloured, soft, greyish-white, even and straight grained. It is light, with a basic density of 506
kg/m3. The timber from B. papyrifera, being soft and brittle, is used mainly in the manufacture of cheap furniture, match
sticks, packing cases, boxes, plywood, building-boards, sports equipment and pencils.

Doesn't sound like bow wood to me, sorry.

[Pat B]

You'll have ti try it and see how it works. I've ever tried paper mulberry.

[TimothyR]

I'll give it a try when it's dry. Cant hurt nothing.  Im trying to help my mother-in-law out. The roots are growing into her house. It's talking over the whole yard.  Thought maybe I could turn it into some bows.