Hybrid Poplars

[MikeH]

Nov 6, 2011 3:32:23 GMT -5 oxbowfarm said:

I very much like the hybrid poplars myself. I doubt I'd use the wood as interior decorative trim or anything but it shows a lot of promise as a sustainable biomass producer for firewood and biochar production. With Emerald Ash Borer one county away "officially" I'm pretty sure our ash is done for within a couple years, then we've got Sudden Oak Death, Asian Longhorned Beetle, Hemlock Wooly adelgid, and Beech Canker. Not sure what I'm going to have in the woods in a few years.

Yep, they may be a soft wood - 60% of the BTU's of maple but the growth rate is exceptional. If you are looking to get regenerative firewood quickly, they might be a good place to start until slower growing and harder regenerative firewood such as locust and osage orange are of coppiceable size. I've got all three growing on a test basis. The hybrid poplars will be ready to cut next year in their 5th year since planting. I am truly impressed with the growth rate and am already sourcing other poplar hybrid varieties to see how they grow.

While the BTU's are low, the growth rate is so good that poplar might be a better idea that say maple because it's a fast ongoing regenerative wood.



I'm quite pleased with the initial growth rate on my black locust seedlings - 4 feet of growth from seeding in May this year.



Regards,
Mike

[oxbowfarm]

I'm actually fortunate enough to have a pretty big Locust population at the edge of the field all along the west side of the property. I'm not sure if osage will grow here, I am hoping for mulberry which will and is easy to propagate and also doubles as a carb source for human and animal feed.