Topping the charts as the hottest burning firewood, and number one on our list Osage Orange, sometimes referred to as hedge wood. When burned, Osage Orange registers around 32-35 Million BTUs per cord, meaning that it is sometimes around 6 million BTUs hotter than its closest competitor, Shagbark Hickory. It is referred to as burning like coal, and is so dense some people say it will even sink when the wood is still green. Osage tends to be used in bow making due to its strength, and when burned sparks a lot! Better keep a close eye on this wood as it can burn your house down with its hot sparks that fly.
Osage Orange is by far one of the easiest trees to identify, even though it is usually hard to obtain. The bark is grayish, but when peeled back has an orange color. The wood has also a distinctive golden color to it when cut, despite being called Osage Orange. If you come across this tree, its almost impossible to miss. They drop a green brain-like fruit often referred to as monkey balls, horse apple, or hedge apple, that are usually around the size of a baseball. When cut, this tree can be confused with the black locust that we mentioned earlier due to their similar color. However, the bark tends to be more orangish in color, and Osage does not have that small, brown, heartwood section that locust has in the middle. If you have ever driven through the country you’ve probably passed numerous Osage Orange trees without even knowing it. Next time you are out an about in the country, keep your eyes peeled and you might just come across this species!