shrubs?

[David oakman]

I don't think this has been up before but if it has i am sorry:001_smile:

What are shrubs like for firewood. Such as laural,spindle,dogwood,hazel ect? I burn a lot of hazel very good just as well as i have a lot of over aged stuff:thumbup:

[janey]

I was always told to avoid burning cherry laurel as it contains cyanide. I don't know how accurate that is. Try it and see: if you turn blue then it's true

[Taupotreeman]

There was another thread on burning cherry laurel, maybe someone can put up a link to it seeing as I'm not that computer literate. As for burning shrubs; if it burns it burns. You just won't get as much firewood out of it for the effort put in that's all. Manuka is sometimes not much more than a shrub but I never turn it down when it's on offer as it burns hot and long. It's worth the effort to cut even the smallest firewood out of it compared to some of the bigger stuff that I turn my nose up at. Having said that, just lately I'll take almost anything. As I said, if it burns it goes on the fire.

[likeitorlumpit]

I think it's the leaves on laurel that are the problem- anyone on here who has burned them on a bonfire will attest to the horrible smoke- They do have cyanide in them so advise composting

Often made me think about when we chip them though- that wonderful smell of almonds- worried:lol:

[Big J]

I've been told by numerous people that Rhododendron is excellent as firewood, so I've got 4 cubic metres stacked from a clearance job I did a while back. I'll report back next winter with a verdict!

[nepia]

I've been told by numerous people that Rhododendron is excellent as firewood, so I've got 4 cubic metres stacked from a clearance job I did a while back. I'll report back next winter with a verdict!

 

It's great as a 'middling' wood to go on the kindling before the hardwood. It dries fast once split and burns very well. Definitely keep it.

[APC]

Overstood hazel is pretty good for firewood. We ring anything up over 3" diameter and sling in the firewood pile. It all adds up.

[chestnut]

we have lots of laurel on site - and it is a great log for burning

 

it dries quickly and burns hot - also makes excellent charcoal

 

it will spoil if left outside for too long though

 

hazel is also excellent as firewood and for charcoal

 

 

as for laurel giving off cyanide - it does - but we burn loads on the bonfires - and have had no ill effects - but then i don't tend to breathe in the smoke

[nepia]

I think you'd have to go some to suffer cyanide poisoning from laurel. When I was a teenager I deeply inhaled the fumes from an airtight jam jar that contained a lump of cyanide the size of small sugar cube. The jar hadn't been opened in months. I felt a bit sick and dizzy for a few minutes but was fine after that.

 

 

 

 

Wibble.

Edited January 23, 2011 by nepia
to stop a cyanide sniffing trend developing