Turning ash

[Mark Hancock]

Olive Ash is often the result of infection of 'Beef Steak Fungus' or similar.

Chas

That is the first time I've heard that the Beef Steak Fungus is a cause of Olive Ash. It is known as the cause of Brown Oak. I've tried to look it up on the internet but can't find any explanation of the cause. What I did learn which I wasn't aware of is that Ash is part of the same family as Olive.

 

[tekno.mage]

Not heard that (but it wouldn't surprise me, probably a dim directive by DEFRA) after all, the timber isn't the problem, plus any fungal growth will be killed by drying anyway, so destroying the wood doesn't have any beneficial effect, plus the spores are insect borne I think.

Ash Die Back disease is carried by air borne fungal spores, not insects. You may be thinking of Emerald Ash Borer, an insect that is currently killing ash trees in parts of Russia (I think) - that threat has not reached our shores as yet, and hopefully will not.

So far as I have found on the DEFRA and Forestry Commission web sites, dry ash timber or firewood is no threat - the threat mainly comes from the movement of diseased live plant material (saplings, leaves etc) but the spores are also spread by anything that comes into contact with infected leaf litter - ie people, vehicles and even tools used on infected sites - hence the need for good bio-security when dealing with infected sites and material. The spores in infected leaf litter are not killed by freezing over the winter. The Forestry Commission recommend burning or burying infected plant material on site when dealing with infected saplings, but are less clear on the matter of timber from mature infected trees.

 

[winemaker]

Hi Winemaker

That wood bears striking resemblance to Elm - are you sure it's Ash?

Regards Mick

Yes it is ash, from a mountain ash tree that was in my garden and was felled 4 years ago

 

[CHJ]

Yes it is ash, from a mountain ash tree that was in my garden and was felled 4 years ago

Mountain ash or rowan (in UK Sorbus aucuparia) is genus: Sorbus

European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is genus Fraxinus

Two totally differing woods/species.

 

[CHJ]

Olive Ash is often the result of infection of 'Beef Steak Fungus' or similar.

Chas

That is the first time I've heard that the Beef Steak Fungus is a cause of Olive Ash. It is known as the cause of Brown Oak. I've tried to look it up on the internet but can't find any explanation of the cause. What I did learn which I wasn't aware of is that Ash is part of the same family as Olive.

Now that's really bugging me Mark, I can't think where I read details and indeed can't now find an on-line reference.
It was in a discussion on the various colour variations and related to soil types, some of the confusion came from Brown cored Ash as found on local shallow soils with underlying cancerous rocks and the associated fungal growth and the Ash grown in continental Europe where the soils had a predominantly differing composition but for the life of me I can't recall the specific minerals involved.

 

[renderer01]

Hello CHJ/all,
Have concluded some research on this topic and whilst not conclusive indicates a predictable scenario. Several sources of data indicate olive ash is sourced from very mature trees and soil conditions have an effect as well.
It therefore follows that the oldest and most mature trees due to there age and size have been ravaged by storms and sustained damage over a huge period of time allowing the influx of pests and fungi which in turn could easily lead on to the possibility of changes to wood colouration and grain patterns burrs etc.
Im simply gratefull such wood exists, as its a joy to turn.

Regards

Rend.

 

[winemaker]

Mountain ash or rowan (in UK Sorbus aucuparia) is genus: Sorbus

European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is genus Fraxinus

Two totally differing woods/species.

Thank you :mrgreen: :roll:

 

[ianmcairns]

Not heard that (but it wouldn't surprise me, probably a dim directive by DEFRA) after all, the timber isn't the problem, plus any fungal growth will be killed by drying anyway, so destroying the wood doesn't have any beneficial effect, plus the spores are insect borne I think.

Ash is great, has some interesting properties, when wet it will turn a bright pink shortly after a fresh surface is exposed to the air, so if you rough out a bowl, leave it a month or two then turn is some more to finalize the shape but see a little pink colouration, it means it isn't properly dry yet. Some trees have a golden brown heartwood which can be highly figured, this is Olive Ash and is pretty highly prized.

Spores are wind-blown and often persist on fallen leaves.

 

[KimG]

Ah thanks Ian, I wasn't certain, remarkable it hasn't got here sooner then, I guess the prevailing westerly source of our weather would explain that to some extent.