I live in deep woods and have all kinds of trees. I just make sure
that anything I burn in my fireplace is at least one year dead. I
find that dogwoods (unfortunately dying on their own here at a rapid
rate... I would never cut down a live one) are THE best fire in the
fireplace, but they burn relatively fast.
The only species I avoid burning in the fireplace are pine and
cedar. In many cases I have no idea what the species is.
I just smashed my thumb trying to split some big sections of wood (I
thought I had given up that endeavor years ago). Anyway, why split
wood?
My fireplace: I put a BIG whole log section in the back. I then
put layers of (bottom to top) kindling twigs, branches, limbs, in
front of that one big log. As those burn, I just add more. It takes
about 1/2 day for the big guy to burn, and then I dump in another one.
My theory is that this back wall of the big log directs the warmth out
into the room, rather than up the chimney. (I have my heat pump
turned off.) Unless it is REALLY cold, this really does warm my house
enough to not need to put on the heat pump. This from a fireplace; I
don't have a wood stove.
Some species seem to not burn at all but just slowly shrink to
nothing. My main species are, in order of frequency, dogwood (I glean
them [dead ones] from wherever I can), oak, poplar, hickory, elm,
maple, ironwood, etc. (Helpful hint: Pawlonia will spit out big
chunks of burning embers way onto your rug!) Actually, I never chop
anything alive down for firewood, but all my firewood is from trees
and limbs that died and fell by themselves. (But I had to clear a
small area where trees leaned toward my house... I didn't burn those
for a year... had tree guys cut them to fireplace length... no
splitting).
My chimney sweep comes about every 3 years, and tells me my chimney
accumulation looks good.... so I must be doing something right. I
hope this might be helpful.
Kira