Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: mspink on November 10, 2012, 12:36:09 pm

Title: Russian olive
Post by: mspink on November 10, 2012, 12:36:09 pm

Hey is there anyway that russian olive can be confused with Osage? Does the wood look the same?

Title: Re: Russian olive
Post by: Pat B on November 10, 2012, 12:45:27 pm

I don't think so. Russian olive is a multi-stemmed shrub and osage is a tree. Osage heartwood is very yellow in color with a thin, white sapwood layer under the bark.

Title: Re: Russian olive
Post by: sharpend60 on November 10, 2012, 10:27:06 pm

Russian olive around is a full fledged tree.
40ft or so I'd say.

But cannot be confused with osage...

Title: Re: Russian olive
Post by: campx on November 12, 2012, 11:25:27 pm

I've wondered if Russian Olive would work, also.  We have some good sized RO's around here.

Title: Re: Russian olive
Post by: John D on November 13, 2012, 12:34:56 am

Russian olive has a brown heartwood and a light sapwood; lots of contrast.  The stuff I've seen didn't look yellow or orange and could not be confused with Osage. 

In the boise area, I've seen trunks up to 20" in diameter and limbs that might yield a stave, but there are a lot of comments on this site indicating that it is not highly valued as bow wood. 

John

Boise