An interesting beech tree

[marinosr]

I saw this American beech in the woods yesterday. The ribbing on the trunk went up probably a good 16', and there must be fantastic flame figuring in that grain. I thought it was neat to see the odd sort of growth that creates the grain figure that we prize, and I think figured beech is especially uncommon. (But googling "flame beech" turns up some beautiful examples.) I wonder what caused it?

Toddler for scale

 

[Skymaster]

wonder what caused it. looks very even thru its time scale

 

[bbrown]

I've heard form loggers and milling outfits that they have no clues about underlying figure until the trees are milled.
Apparently that's not be the case with Beech? Very interesting to see this.
Where is this?
Flame birch is amazing!

--Bill

 

[marinosr]

I've heard form loggers and milling outfits that they have no clues about underlying figure until the trees are milled.
Apparently that's not be the case with Beech? Very interesting to see this.
Where is this?
Flame birch is amazing!

--Bill

Depends on the species. Beech's bark is so thin that it can telegraph the shape of the grain underneath. Maples also have tells in their bark that indicate figure, and eucalypts often reveal their figure when the bark sheds. Other species, not so much.

The pic was taken in a private forest in Kitchener Ontario.

 

[bbrown]

Thank you for the info; I'll need to research the topic some more. I use almost exclusively figured woods these days and really covet flame birch. Seems to be more common in England.

 

[gritz]

My guess would be curly, waterfall or quilted figure in addition to flame. I see similar trees in our 3500 acre mountain community, and always wonder what's hiding in there.

 

[srhardwoods]

I've had a few beech trees on my farm just like that. I sawed 1 up and yes that will be curly beech. Mine was 36" in diameter. Trees with thicker bark will show that under the bark on the skin as well but harder to see without bark removed.

 

[Jeff]

it
Thank you for the info; I'll need to research the topic some more. I use almost exclusively figured woods these days and really covet flame birch. Seems to be more common in England.

Bill, where do you get your figured wood boards (lumber) or is it figured veneer that you're using?

 

[Dee2]

That tree must have had the hiccups when growing up!

 

[Jimbo]

"Flame birch is amazing!"

--Bill

I spent several months in New Hampshire being the nanny to my infant granddaughter, and looked for wood scores on my off days. Somewhere in the wilds of southern Vermont there was a third generation sawyer where I got the birch in the picture. He told me that he only found the figured stuff at the highest elevations in their area - attributed it to the weight of the snow up there. Don't know if that makes any sense biologically but I liked the story!
Incidentally, Bill, I just saw the piece about your work in the Haverford College alumni magazine (I'm class of '76). Your work is spectacular. Small world!
Jim O'Brien