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Friday - February 25, 2011
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Best of Smarty
Title: Using Bumelia for Firewood
Answered by: Mike Tomme
QUESTION:
I have 2 trees in my yard that I think are Gum Bullies. They're tall (25 feet) and straight, thorny, leaves look like live oak, but they're deciduous. I need to remove them and wondered if I could use them for firewood in my fireplace?ANSWER:
The tree most often referred to as gum bully is Sideroxylon lanuginosum (Gum bumelia). From your description, it could be any of several of that genus.
To get to your question, "Can I use them for firewood in my fireplace?" Using them for firewood is the only thing Mr. Smarty Plants can think of to do with these plants in a fireplace. They will not grow well there.
Seriously, I can think of no reason not to use bumelia for firewood.
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