lilac? ( not lilac)

[turtle]

I recently found a patch of lilac growing in a pine thicket. There are several shoots that look promising for shafts. Just wondered if anyone has used it or has any advice on it.

[Pat B]

Steve, there have been quite a few lilac bows posted here. Seems to be a pretty good bow wood.

[turtle]

Steve, there have been quite a few lilac bows posted here. Seems to be a pretty good bow wood.

There's a couple promising staves there also. Being in the pines seems to make it grow tall and straight.

[TimBo]

From the little bit I have worked with lilac, I would think it would be similar to dogwood, which makes a great arrow.  I will have to try some - the lilac in our yard probably has a few arrow-worthy shoots.  Not sure why I never thought of that...

[turtle]

When I foung this patch my first impression was that it is a dogwood of some kind, but the only dogwoods I have found are flowering dogwoods which this doesnt resemble exept for the leaves. I then got it in my head that it is lilac, but today I finaly remembered to look at my wifes lilacs (which im not allowed to touch)  and it definitely isn't lilac. So im back to dogwood again but cant figure out what kind. Any ideas?
  Thanks.


The bark doesnt look like any flowering I have seen and flowering usualy has to many branches all in wrong spots to make arrows.

[DC]

Silky Dogwood??
http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/silkydogwood

[Pat B]

As soon as I saw the leaves I thought dogwood and not lilac. We have lots of silky dogwood(Cornus amomum). It's growing along our creek. Never used it for bows or arrows but I may be cutting some back this winter so I'll save shoots and trunks to give them a try. Most dogwoods are good for bows and/or arrows.

[turtle]

Silky Dogwood??
http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/silkydogwood

Thanks.
I had actually looked at that page before but somehow came away thinking silky had alternate leaves. I realy need to get a good book on plant identification.

[bjrogg]

Those look very promising, certainly seems like it would be worth trying them. I'd cut them long leave the bark on for a couple months at least, bundle them together nice and straight and let them dry for a good while. I would probably play around with a couple if I had a bunch sooner but they should get better drying out good.
Bjrogg

[Pat B]

All dogwoods have opposite leaves except Pagoda dogwood(Cornus alternafilia), a small understory tree.