# Suitable for firewood - Leyland Cypress?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suitable-for-firewood-leyland-cypress/400937>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 20, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suitable-for-firewood-leyland-cypress/400937 "2007-04-20T14:13:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suitable-for-firewood-leyland-cypress/400937/1 "2007-04-20T14:13:20Z")

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Subject says it all, I suppose. As noted in Romansperson’s “new tree” thread, we’re doing some unplanned landscaping due to our Leyland Cypress deciding to lie down on the job (and on a white pine). I know it’s not a good idea to burn things like pine trees, but what about cypress? Should I go to Home Depot and buy a chainsaw and slice it up and save it for the fireplace? or should I let the landscapers take it away because it’ll gum up the chimney as badly as a pine tree would?

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**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2007, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suitable-for-firewood-leyland-cypress/400937/2 "2007-04-20T14:33:04Z")

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I’m gonna say “No”, as it is a softwood. When buring wood in a fireplace/stove, you need to shoot for seasoned hardwoods.

It’s probably somwhere around ‘ok’ for firewood - somewhere in the middle. I would say this qualifies it as pretty good kindling wood. Make sure it is ‘seasoned’ (well dried) to avoid smokey/dirty burning.

Unlike establsihed and well know hardwoods like oak, you should assume that Cypress will snap and spark more, and use caution knowing that more embers could jump out.

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2007, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suitable-for-firewood-leyland-cypress/400937/3 "2007-04-20T14:34:28Z")

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This makes it sound as if the wood is quite tarry:  
[The dry heart of the tree is extremely flammable and if it catches fire will burn like a torch.](http://freespace.virgin.net/clare.h/arcv/hdg6Trees.htm)

This [note at Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyland_Cypress) also raises a red flag for me:

> [@](#):
>
> **Note** : Caution should be exercised when handling tree clippings - after trimming, for example. The sap can cause skin irritation in susceptible individuals.

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**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suitable-for-firewood-leyland-cypress/400937/4 "2007-04-20T18:22:48Z")

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Thanks for the info! I’d done some googling but didn’t find those sites.

Just as well - we rarely use our fireplace anyway!