Author Topic: Osage or Mulberry? (Read 10722 times)

osage outlaw · « **on:** December 02, 2014, 11:07:31 pm »

I cut an osage tree that fell in a guys yard by work last week. I noticed a log laying by his firewood pile. He said it was an osage he had cut a year or two ago. He told me to take that one to. I noticed it has very thick rings and is kind of pale yellow for osage. I'm starting to wonder if it might be mulberry. I have never cut any mulberry and it doesn't grow on our property so I'm not very familiar with what it looks like. I do know that I've never seen osage rings that thick before

Any guesses?

lebhuntfish · « **Reply #1 on:** December 02, 2014, 11:28:00 pm »

I'm by far an expert on Osage or any wood as far as that goes. But the stave I built my first bow from looked a lot like that. It had a lighter yellow color and huge rings. Patrick

Prarie Bowyer · « **Reply #2 on:** December 03, 2014, 02:01:46 am »

I have some of that. Keep changing my mind on what it is. $:-\$ . Pretty sure it is mullberry even though it is right next to a known red mullberry tree and looks different, and oozes white milk when cut green, and smells insecticidal.

It smells a little like mustard when sanded or heated.

Makes bows but will chrysal

chamookman · « **Reply #3 on:** December 03, 2014, 04:16:59 am »

I vote Mulberry. Bob

Pappy · « **Reply #4 on:** December 03, 2014, 04:49:00 am »

Looks like Osage to me, Mullberry is very light in physical weight compaired to Osage.

Pappy

wapiti1997 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 03, 2014, 06:21:19 am »

It's osage, mulberry doesn't have bark like that. Ring thickness has more to do with a tree having full sun and a big crown allowing it to grow fast.

DarkSoul · « **Reply #6 on:** December 03, 2014, 06:41:51 am »

One helpful characteristic that can help separate [osage] from lookalikes such as Mulberry or Black Locust (besides being heavier) is that Osage Orange contains a water-soluble yellow dye, so putting shavings into water will turn the water yellow.

(Source)

osage outlaw · « **Reply #7 on:** December 03, 2014, 08:03:29 am »

Quote from: Pappy on December 03, 2014, 04:49:00 am

Looks like Osage to me, Mullberry is very light in physical weight compaired to Osage.
Pappy

This stuff sure isn't light Pappy. We loaded that log in one piece and it was a job.

I'll try the shavings in water and see what happens. Thanks for the input guys.

okie64 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 03, 2014, 08:18:00 am »

That looks like osage bark to me Clint. Like Pappy said, you will be able to tell just by the physical weight if its mulberry. Ive cut quite a bit of mulberry for firewood and for bowmaking and as far as I can tell the only thing it has in common with osage is the color.

Pappy · « **Reply #9 on:** December 03, 2014, 08:54:06 am »

I agree Okie,I haven't worked a lot but been involved with several and they don't remind me of Osage at all except color, working it is nothing like the same and is way lighter but I say the same about BL, some say it is like Osage but not to me.

Pappy

JoJoDapyro · « **Reply #10 on:** December 03, 2014, 08:59:06 am »

Throw a sliver in some water, hell, you could even run a wet cloth over it. No yellow rag, no osage.

Stringman · « **Reply #11 on:** December 03, 2014, 09:29:13 am »

No question in my mind. Osage.

Comancheria · « **Reply #12 on:** December 03, 2014, 09:52:32 am »

Outlaw,

As a matter of interest, on your Monster tree, did you ever count up the annual rings to figure out how old it was?

Best regards,

Russ

Will H · « **Reply #13 on:** December 03, 2014, 10:29:53 am »

Looks like yeller wood to me Clint. Those are some crazy rings!

osage outlaw · « **Reply #14 on:** December 03, 2014, 11:14:55 am »

Russ, I never counted the rings. Someone did in that post and came up with something around 100.

As soon as I get some deer heads cooking I'm going to split it down into staves. I'll try the water test then.

Primitive Archer