QuestionI have several ligustrum and chinaberry trees that I'm cutting down. Can I use this mature wood of either tree as firewood inside the home? Is it safe?
Answerchinaberry---Use as Firewood
The species is often planted for fuel supply in the Middle East as well as in Puerto Rico and Nigeria. It is planted in reforestation projects in Thailand for veneer and fuel, and in Assam (India) it is grown on tea estates for fuel. Its specific gravity is about 0.66 (calorific value 5,043-5,176 kcal per kg).
Ligustrum--OK for firewood.
The wood is hard and cream colored with a fine smooth texture though lacking in distinctive color or grain other than some dark heartwood in old trees. It is semi ring porous with visible (though not pronounced) growth rings Zhang 1986). It splits very easily. The 80 year old tree had a basic wood density of c. 660 kg/m3 and a green moisture content of c. 70%. Even when still green the wood burnt well on the open fire with some initial hissing and crackling as moisture was expelled. It burnt very steadily with good heat completely to hot coals without much unburned charcoal residues or copious ash. Good wood for the barbecue producing persistent hot coals.
