Is This The World's Fastest Growing Tree?!!

Poplar trees are great! I think they’re called cottonwood trees in the States? And of course they’re cousins of the aspens. Not renown for the quality of the timber - it’s fluffy and pale with not much grain to see - it’s grown for windbreaks, firewood and matchsticks. And because they look beautiful, of course.
All of ours (and we have hundreds of them now) come from the same stick which we planted when we first came here - so technically they’re all the same tree. We harvest lots of ‘slips’ from the original tree every year and plant some and sell some. Check out the emporium below…
We have dozens of sorts of ‘super’ willows too, and all grow quite fast - but nothing like the poplars..
Ok, here are some important website links. Please check them out..
Here's Tim's amazing guitar machine..
www.chordelia.com
here's our online store where you can see some of the craft things we make and sell..
www.wayoutweste...
and here's our Patreon page where you can see more of our plans and dreams. (Remember even 5 dollars would make a BIG difference to us and we'd be very grateful.)
www.patreon.co...
and finally our FaceBook page / way.outwest.524 (Not quite sure what to do with this but we put photos and extra comments when we get around to it..)
Thank you!
Sandra & Tim
[e-mail]
Copyright WayOutWest. All rights reserved. Please share if you like, but don’t copy or use without permission. Just get in touch via email blowinblog @ gmail.com
Don’t steal our stuff!

[@johnstudd4245]

The Empress Splendor, a member a member of the Paulownia family you mentioned. In a climate that will reach 70 degrees F or above for 5-6 months of the year, the Empress can hit 20 ft in 1 year and can be mature and harvested in 10 years( or less ). With a hardwood that is lighter than pine and can be used for many purposes. The leaves contain 20% protein and can be used for animal fodder. The tree will also regrow from a stump. Maybe in the UK and northern Europe, and the northern tier of North America the tree would not do as well. But it sounds like the perfect tree for sustainable forestry in slightly warmer climates.

[@kearneyfamilylondon68]

Dear Sandra and Tim, glad to see that you are keeping slips from such a good specimen. Best regards, PEK.

[@boomer1579]

:-)

[@kevintulak9987]

Sadly, I too seem to be widening about an inch and a quarter a year. Poplar is a lovely wood to make toys with. Looking forward to seeing what you do with the non firewood bits. Thanks for sharing.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Ha!!

[@andrewboddy2791]

Why specifically toys? What characteristic suits toys?

[@kevintulak9987]

It is not a splintery wood, it sands very smooth. It is a soft wood to work but it hardens in time so the toys are very durable. I you let it air dry for a while, some lovely pale greens, pinks and reds come out in the wood. It takes paint and stain very well.

[@samuelluria4744]

kevin - I wonder if Andrew was trying to be a wise guy?.... But good for you, for being a good sport, and responding quite accurately!😉

[@evojigger]

Be interesting to know, did the stump regrow with new shoots?

[@WayOutWestx2]

It did, but the donkeys ate them and it didn't recover from that

[@VitorMadeira]

One of the worst problems we face here in Portugal is the Eucalyptus trees... Someone figured that those would be the fastest growing trees so they stared planting them all over the place here... Result: Ultra violent Summer fires and loads of death people who can't escape those wild fires... I know that Poplar is used in the making of musical instruments, so the Portuguese government should make some laws forbidding Eucalyptus and suggesting Poplar trees.

[@kleineteen8043]

poplar is the the wood used most in clog making in the Netherlands, its easy to come by in our wet climate, had a low number of knots and easy to work with when young and sturdy enough to be used as safety boots.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Interesting. I always thought it was alder, because poplar rots so quickly, but obviously I was wrong?

[@kleineteen8043]

there are more trees used but poplar is the 1 used mostly

[@marka9292]

The poplar here will go from seed to a 6 foot tree in 6 months, then after a few more years they fall on your shed

[@TheIrishHomesteadFamily]

Love the horses. So handy to have to drag out that timber!

[@gala1ish]

Hi Tim, nice to see you puffing - you are not alone.! Way back in the late sixties in Scotland we were planting a new variety (then) of rapid growth poplar, it was known to us as TXT 32. I emigrated to NZ shortly after so don't know how they turned out. Cheers, just love your wee world.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Charlie : - )

[@rocketsurgery8337]

Here's a bit of a story: Years ago there was a heavy wind that took down a silver maple in my yard. The local news station said to bring your branches to the curb for recycling. I noticed the truck and shreader cleaning up debris, I approached the crew and told them I had lost a tree in my backyard. They laughed and said if you can bring it, we'll take it. A few minutes later I had a tree on my shoulder that was 50 ft long and I'm pulling it down the street. The tree crew looks up and says, oh shit!. I dropped the tree and walked away. It's good to be 6'5" and 280 lbs.

[@boomer1579]

Great story!

[@FunSizeSpamberguesa]

I love that the sheep is totally not bothered by the sound of the chainsaw.

[@mchlbk]

Grown for pallets and plywood too. Historical use: Shields.

[@braxtonbowen4795]

Planted a moringa tree 3 years ago which is approximately 8 inches in diameter now.

[@WayOutWestx2]

That's amazing!

[@zane4utwo]

I'll have to measure my sycamore tree, but its still standing.. not to offend you by any means. It's only 17 years old and way too big. I too planted it as a young twig barely a foot tall and thin as a pencil. It dwarfs the other sycamore planted at the same time only 30ft away. Wonderful video. Thank you.

[@lightningrob]

In recent years i have been geting ontop of my bit of land and remember a poplar that blew over 30 years ago from the stump a two trunked massive popular tree grew its now the biggest tree on my land. So i recently have been removing dead windblown and dangerous trees. But i want to replant some areas to fill in the gaps if the lost trees i hope to be able to see the results. So i will try to take some slips and hope they will take befor the deer get them. Nice work i have enjoyed watching your videos.

[@agekjrgardpayoutube2593]

In America, we have several poplar species, of which 2 are native to my region (Wisconsin): cottonwoods (Populus deltoides) and Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), which are common trees here in WI. The key word here is “native”, because I can almost guarantee we have several more species of poplar that have been introduced from either the western United States, Asia, or Europe.

[@WayneCarolan]

Right beside a river in a small valley, where nettles grow about 5 ft high there's 4 populars around 25 years old and they are around 1metre in diameter. Such amazing trees. They are about 80+ metres high. The land is some of the most fertile I've come across and with an abundance of water on tap they thrive. A branch fell which was Donald in size to that tree you felled. We need to give them a hair cut. When we do I'll record for you to see.

[@kifer2594]

I have planks from slow growing pine trees from northern Sweden, some of them have 50 rings in a 1 inch plank from top to bottom, from the bottom to the corner they have 100 rings, they came from a 100 year old house that I renovated

[@smeagolmazurenko5238]

(Shot pans across a shattered tree that is now suspended off the ground by 5 other trees) Wife: "Its a bit hung up Tim" They always have the right thing to say at the right time.

[@simpleman806]

Black locust grows fairly fast, but it pretty invasive. My grandpa said that it makes good honey though

[@josianedavid6567]

From Québec, Canada, all the best for you. Keep up the good work and updates to us. Love you guys !

[@GrizzlyGroundswell]

After thinking more about your popular trees, I think I am coming around. I have greenwoodworking dreams of grandeur and hurdles I want to create, but your popular tree is warming up on me. Here Black Walnut, mulberry and silver maple grow like weeds. We have added willow, birch, hazelnut and other nut trees for our hogs. But your Popular tree may find a place in the homestead by producing vertical pasture through coppicing them. I am still not sold completely as we do not need the firewood yet, but in future it maybe great to have that resource. So thanks again for the video and you have almost changed my mind here.

[@Dollapfin]

This would take other trees 65 years. That is very good and I will try to beat that sir. I’m planting some this spring.

[@roycarter6235]

I do like Husqvarna chainsaws. I use to only use Sthil but after purchasing a large Husqvarna I have nothing else. I own about four for five of them from huge to quite small. Poplars are extraordinary fast growers as are Chinese Pwontons ( sp?)

[@Filip_Wessman]

I once felled a Picea abies that grew about one inch or slightly more a year. Not normal for the species, but that tree did. It picked up speed after the surrounding trees was felled.

[@rubygray7749]

Sometimes (but definitely not ALL the time!!) I do envy you your consistent rainfall. We had 50mm over 2 days at the beginning of December (summer), then scorching dry heat for months, and another 50 mm on the last 2 days of summer. So I think my poplar has failed to survive, before it even got started. It is very hard to get trees established here, and even the remaining native trees are having a hard time trying to hang on with our erratic drought - flood cycles. It's great to see how you are harvesting all that rainfall sunshine (??) and fresh air, and turning it into solar batteries!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Yep - the best solar collectors of all are trees, and the best way of storing all the energy is in a log pile. And it's fun too

[@askjeevescosby2928]

I feel like it could have repaired it self. Was a strong tree.

[@hannunurminen4407]

Here, in Finland, a hybrid poplar has been grown mainly in parks and experiment with purpose en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populus

[@frodehau]

Poplar is a good species for tree hay, it has a decent amount of protein. It was recently discovered that it has a symbiotic relationship with a nitrogen fixing bacteria, which helps to explain the rapid growth. One of ours blew down in a storm, and I burned firewood from it this winter. What a lousy firewood that was, lots of ash, and little heat compared to hardwoods, and a great deal poorer than even willow. Next time I cut one down I will make a hugel bed out of it instead. But I am planting some of them for pollarding for future tree hay and compost.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Yes, of course the hard woods will burn better, but we just don't have them yet. At least we can now burn only our own timber. And the ash is good in the garden. tree hay is a great idea for places where the grass dies off in the summer - but that's not what happens here. We could carry leaves and branches around for our animals but it's much easier (and better) to let them graze. On the other hand, using chipped winter twigs and branches for fodder does make sense here - but we'd still rather feed willow.

[@frodehau]

Way Out West Blow-in blog Here on the west coast of Norway my forefathers cut and dried Ash in June, and used it as a suplement to hay during winter. I have recently found a interest in this subject, there's a good group on Facebook that I would recommend, search for "tree hay". Why do you prefer willow for feed?

[@WayOutWestx2]

we find that the poplars are prone to fungus attack - but the willows are indestructible. Also the willows grow more bushy with smaller thicker leaves so they're easier to handle. But most importantly the animals like willow best : - )

[@frodehau]

Way Out West Blow-in blog Willow is a source for acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin) so I have been adviced to use it with caution. It is working fine for you, so I'm curious about the amount you use. Is it a big part of their diet, or just a supplement? The knowledge about feeding woody material has sadly died out where I live. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_aspirin

[@frodehau]

Way Out West Blow-in blog Bonus question :) Is it the poplar tree that rots, or the harvested material?

[@benmatthews3732]

In the fall I’m going to send you some seeds from my river beech tree. Not fast growing, but a lovely tree. As the name implies, it likes to grow by water. Would you also like some sweet gum balls? 😃 They are all over the place in the southern US. Grow very tall. The stickery balls full of seeds drop everywhere - which is why these trees are everywhere! (Bonnie)

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Bonnie. It would be so interesting to see what will survive here

[@Zeemike1]

I have planted poplar trees here because they do grow fast, but while they get that tall they never get that big around...but this is New Mexico and we are in the high mountain desert so there is not the water that you have an abundance of there in Ireland.

[@dansarmar1]

Radiata Pine trees grow faster and larger than that here in New Zealand. I reckon Poplar grows faster over here too 😄

[@forMacguyver]

Big Cottonwood fan myself though many hate them. I do believe that hybrid willows are the fastest growing trees, at least when it comes to height not thickness of the trunks.

[@boomer1579]

Mike's Place The species deserves more respect than it gets. As it is, Cottonwoods do have their proponents, like felines or cult classic films. Those who "get them" can be almost Druid-like in their fascination of the tree. Those who don't, usually fueled by subjective opinions, abhor the tree...often with thoughtless, profanity laced speech. (As you noted, "...many hate them.") However, these Poplars are, objectively, a desirable species for an array of reasons. I have actually titled a (growing) text document, "In Defense of Cottonwoods", and it includes some of those reasons. I'd like to be a windbag, haha, and share a few entries here, which challenge the "short-lived" appellation the tree seems cursed with: ~Landscaping With Native Trees (Sternberg & Wilson): "...(Cottonwood trees) are so resilient that some live to take their place among the largest of our deciduous trees. A few of the venerable Cottonwoods that shaded Lewis and Clark on their Journey of Discovery in 1804 are still growing along the Missouri River." ~"A majestic 300-year-old cottonwood tree greets visitors crossing the Granite Creek Bridge entrance into Prescott Mile High Middle School in Prescott, Arizona. This great tree symbolizes growth, tradition, and adaptation. In 1867, a small log cabin, the first school in Arizona, was built in the shade of this great cottonwood..." -Prescott Mile High site. ~Chicago Sun-Times, April 28 2018: "An eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) growing in the Byron Forest Preserve District’s new Bald Hill Prairie Preserve is the Illinois Big Tree Champion. It’s estimated to be 200 years old, making it a bicentennial tree, which probably started growing when Illinois became the 21st state in 1818." (This replaced the 175-year-old specimen at Gebhard Woods.) ~Knowing Your Trees (Collingwood and Brush) approximates the lifespan of Cottonwood at about 150-years. ~"Located at the west end of Harriet Island Regional Park...stands one of the largest trees in the city, a beautiful eastern cottonwood. Many of the trees in Harriet Island’s flood plain are cottonwoods which are well-adapted to this flood-prone area. When Harriet Island became a park in 1900, the tree had already established itself as a stately shade tree. It’s estimated the tree dates back to the 1620’s. Growing in ideal conditions, cottonwoods have a maximum life span of 200-400 years." We call these older specimens "exceptions"; instead, we might consider increasing the average estimated lifespan to perhaps 75-120 years, and more when favorable genetics and environs come into play. I've quoted a few sources on this, but will now share the stirring words of Charles S Sargent, first director of Harvard's Arnold Arboretum: "With its massive pale stem, its great spreading limbs and broad head of pendulous branches covered with fluttering leaves of the most brilliant green, Populus deltoides is one of the stateliest and most beautiful inhabitants of the forests of North America." Indeed. This species (often disheveled in some older specimens) can rival more "aristocratic" trees in terms of beauty and luxuriant foliage. Author Kathleen Cain rightly calls the Cottonwood an "American Champion". I realize life on the dunes (where many of these grow) is harsh (like life for us humans in society, hahaha), and I know the tough pioneer trees that subsist there may not even see fifty years, let alone 150. But under optimum conditions, most life forms profit. The Cottonwood, indeed, can sometimes take its place among the Bur Oak, Sycamore and other longer-lived species.

[@MrFakit]

Cottonwood, Alder & native Willow grow fast around here

[@dronexfun8469]

We just cut down 3 Giant Sequoias and the largest was almost 10 ft. across at about 2ft. off the ground. All 3 trees were almost 40 years old and all were over 100 ft tall. They grow really fast especially on the Pacific coast. I'm in Oregon by the way. Thanks for sharing the vid.

[@mihaiilie8808]

DroneXFun they grow fast bu after they get 10 years old.Until 10 years you are lucky if it gets to 4 meters tall.

[@boomer1579]

@@mihaiilie8808 I see you like Dio...do you play an instrument? I'm a drummer...

[@mihaiilie8808]

@@boomer1579 I dont play any imstrument.I would be bad at music but im good at sculptures.Dio its #1 and i like him because of the hidden messages in his songs,he was genius.

[@boomer1579]

@@mihaiilie8808 Yes, I like him too; what a voice!!!. I also like Kansas (and many, many other bands). Here is Dio with Kerry Livgren of Kansas: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKGzq2WNpJmVn7c (To Live for the King) Awesome you are good at sculptures. My late wife was a painter who dabbled in sculptures. Thank you for your nice note. One never knows what to expect on KZbin comments. :-)

[@boomer3150]

@@mihaiilie8808 Yes.

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

we have several Leylandii that were about a quarter of the size they are now when we moved to here, now they're 120ft after 14 years, one which was cut down in 2014 has a trunk of about 4ft width.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Wow! So how old are they now?

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

we don't know as they were planted before we came here, the housing estate we are on the edge of was built in the 60s for the Ministry Of Defence but it was revamped in the 80s to be sold on privately, after that they were probably kept trimmed back as hedges (there is a few leylandii hedges around the estate) but allowed to grow freely after the land fell into private hands.

[@mrsgbee8246]

A bed or a coffin I thought. It's not the coffin they take you off in, It's the coughing that takes you off. Some rhyme I heard a lot as a child.

[@pattysherwood7091]

mrsgbee, I felt so naughty that "bed or coffin" was what I thought. Then I read your comment and had to laugh.

[@mergrew0110]

mrsgbee. I remember it as, It's not the cough that carries you off, It's the coffin they carries you off in! Well used saying from the 1950's

[@WayOutWestx2]

Yep. That's the plan : - )

[@HisnameisRich]

Thats incredible growth! yet the oak tree I planted back in 2007 (which was a two year sapling at the time) is only about 4 and a half feet tall now! (although I think living in a pot for its first two years may have stunted the growth somewhat)

[@Theorimlig]

The usual "cycle time" (planting to harvest) of oak in Sweden is around 120 years. In milder climates it will be less, but in most places probably upwards of 100. Oaks are pretty slow! Yours might be growing unusually slowly though, and the pot could possibly have something to do with it. Oaks prefer relatively rich and deep soil (valleys, pastures etc) and don't tolerate much shade.

[@caveatemp]

My candidate for SLOWEST growing tree is the sour cherry in our yard! We have many trees planted many years after that are much larger!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Ha!

[@MrCheesecheddarman]

I have ordered some slips so will be interested to see how they do in wildest Somerset. Great vid

[@TheTomBevis]

I cut up a willow oak that had blown down in a tornado once. it was 37 years old and 4 feet in diameter. Another one blew over a couple of hundred yards away that was about the same diameter, but it was over a hundred years old.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Yep, that's impressive too

[@TreeCutterDoug]

Maybe fast for a temperate broadleaf, but the molucca albizia can grow up to an inch per day. Per day! That's over thirty feet in a year's time, giving the possibility of a 100' tree to be less than four years old. It's kind of hard to wrap your head around that short of a time scale, and tough to believe it until you see it. I worked an albizia remediation gig on the island of Kauai in 2016, and returned 18 months later to help with killing the last of the saplings coming up. I came across a stump that hadn't been poisoned, with suckers over 40' tall growing from it. You can virtually watch them grow over there.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thank you. I'd never heard of them until now. Makes me want to go and see them..

[@volijay1019]

1 poplar will feed bees as much as 1 field of clover

[@WayOutWestx2]

Well now - that depends on how big the tree is , how big the field is, the variety of poplar, and the temperature..

[@thefir4915]

Cottonwood 🌳

[@johnperdue7541]

If it had purple flower in early spring it's a Paulownia tree, commonly called a foxglove or empress tree. A native tree from China. It is the world's fastest growing tree.

[@WayOutWestx2]

We've tried growing those too - but this is faster

[@johnperdue7541]

Way Out West Blow-in blog Faster than a paulownia tree? I don't think so. It's definitely a paulownia tree.

[@adobedirtblues1321]

‘’Bit hung up Tim….’

[@garryentropy]

could make some clogs from the poplar wood as the dutch used to do

[@CrossroadToCountry]

Boy I'd love to turn some of that on the lathe :)

[@RBYW1234]

Emperors tree - Big Blue Tree. Looks like you need 14 trees.

[@bpkey123]

We have pine trees that get that size in just four years in the states.

[@mikesmicroshop4385]

There are many types of poplar trees in the US it is just the ones with the fluff that carries the seeds every year that are generally called cottonwood.

[@smokeydabeecharlescoleman8365]

Just a helping hand here. Get to the K.S.U site on Face book. The Number for the Horticulture department is listed there. You need to ask for free Paw Paw seeds before they run out. This is not the pawpaw you think it is. This is the North American Native fruit. It will grow where you are, and you will love it. Taste like a number of different tropical species. Do this fast before they run out. Talk to Sherrie Crabtree. Good luck my friend, you want these seeds. They are an improved variety, and come already stratified. That saves you months of work.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks for the suggestion - nothing useful comes up under KSU though..

[@smokeydabeecharlescoleman8365]

Kentucky State University, look at their Facebook page for contact information.They send free seeds all over the world.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Ah! Of course. (I was thinking Kent, Kampala, Kiel!) I've just written to them...

[@trulyinfamous]

Maybe not, it probably just didn't stop when it got cold, or just stopped growing overall during the winter. It could just actually be a really, really fast growing tree like you said.

[@Daddypants11]

I wouldn't expect it to be great fire wood... So you'll definitely need a lot lol.

[@ChihoLee]

wow... You guys are Awesome! Learning from your movies... Thanks!

[@alexanderhk9168]

ecocity, should cut the penis stupid loggers

[@chrisfryer3118]

a door or a bed? nice tip, was looking at populars for firewood, mainly used for matches around here, on small scrappy bits o'land

[@WayOutWestx2]

not a door, not a bed.

[@TheInfoworks]

In the spirit of the old independents you are going to mill it and make your own coffin, and maybe sleep in it for a few years, just to make sure it's comfortable, cheers

[@tropifiori]

Eastern Tulip Poplar is different from western cottonwoods. Eastern poplar is a reasonable cabinet wood.You can stain it to look like nearly anything. It doesn't move too much. It is harder than pine and less so than most anything else. They are the giants of our woods and make flowers in their crowns that look like tulips.The western stuff is more corky. I dont use poplar anymore in the shop as I developed a rash to the dust last time I used it. I was told by a sawyer that allergy to tulip polar is not uncommon. Frank

[@WayOutWestx2]

So much to learn! I doubt our timber will take much of a finish, but I'm looking forward to finding out

[@mihaiilie8808]

that ,,poplar,, that has green yellow flowers its actually not a poplar ,but its a magnolia relative tree.Its wrongly named a poplar .Its an avesome tree that ive read it could be the tallest tree in USA.I wanted to plant it for the flowers but it takes 10 years to flower if i grow it from seed.

[@boomer1579]

@@WayOutWestx2 www.woodworkingtalk.com/f26/cottonwood-lumber-3991/ (Cottonwood poplar as lumber)

[@boomer1579]

@@mihaiilie8808 Yes, you mean Tuliptree, which is a magnolia relative, wrongly named poplar. Populus deltoides (Eastern Cottonwood), Populus fremontii (Western or Fremont Cottonwood), the Aspens and other related tree species are poplars.

[@boomer3150]

@@mihaiilie8808 Precisely. Tuliptree, not Tulip Poplar.

[@sandysutherland2182]

Is it as fast as bamboo?. Although bamboo is not a ‘tree’, it is a grass!

[@KimmysKitchenandGarden]

That is a fast growing tree! You need to tell us what it is you where wanting that last bit for its got me thinking......

[@jasonpatterson8091]

I'm embarrassed to admit that I never knew that cottonwoods and poplars were the same trees. Growing up, the giants were always pointed out to me as cottonwoods and the younger, brush-shaped ones were called poplars. I didn't make the connection between the two; they look so different. I guess this also explains why cottonwoods are so enormous compared to the other mature trees around them - in river bottoms they're often several feet across while the oaks and maples are at most a couple of feet in diameter.

[@Theorimlig]

Cottonwood is a particular kind of poplar, there are many other poplar species which look different. You might have more than one in your area. :)

[@johnperdue7541]

Jason Patterson They're not.

[@boomer3150]

@@johnperdue7541 They are.

[@helenp81]

Amazing trees, we love them! Eucalyptus is another brilliant, fast growing tree but I don’t think much will beat your beautiful Poplar tree! Are you making a coffin 😜

[@WayOutWestx2]

Yep, that's the plan!

[@rsa420]

Eucalyptus is awesome quick strong and very good fire wood. It has one of the best compression rates, thats why they where brought to South Africa quick growing strong mine shaft props. Poplar is a kak fire wood it stinks and burns so fast. Poplar is bad for asthma suffers and other suffers.

[@rsa420]

Plus in dry climates its water thief

[@WayOutWestx2]

lots of people grow eucalyptus here - and it does grow fast - but it looks odd and alien to me

[@volvo245]

Now it only needs to match the ash and caloric content of birch and you'll be in the money :)

[@kenp3L]

"...firewood, because the timber isn't great for making things with." That's not true. It does not have the strength of oak or ash. It does not have the beautiful grain of walnut or cherry. But it's stable, easy to work, and inexpensive. Not a bad choice overall, especially if you plan to paint the finished piece.

[@WayOutWestx2]

ok, I'll give it a try

[@exiplast7349]

I noticed a new chainsaw did the rebuild not go so well or has it been relegated to a spare now?

[@WayOutWestx2]

We were offered a really good deal on a new one, so now we have a spare.

[@rabidavid614]

Hi, you mention that you also grow super willows. Are you selling any slips taken from them? I'm trying my hand at beekeeping, and am trying to grow trees that will cope with our high water table, we have a spring that feeds the garden, and our garden is quite boggy. Do your super willows produce catkins, tend to grow upright? As I already have a weeping willow and it isn't really what we want, as it spreads so much. Please advise what willows might be suitable and if any of yours might work, and of course if you'd be able to send to Bristol, England. Thanks

[@WayOutWestx2]

Ours grow very fast upwards - but only for 4 or 5 years, and then they slow right down. That's why we're not keen on them - they get overtaken by the poplars. Yes, they do flower and make catkins. Personally my favourite is the ordinary sally willows. No problem sending you either, if you like. Order through the website but send me a message at the same time?

[@DriveShaftDrew]

very kool thumbs up and shared

[@calamaridog]

Poplar are common trees for tree leaf fodder for livestock. Do you harvest any for animal fodder?

[@WayOutWestx2]

We're just starting to, now that our woods are getting established

[@calamaridog]

@@WayOutWestx2 Even since spending a few weeks touring West Ireland last fall, I have been planning for sheep at my small holding here in Virginia. Love your channel. I'm going to plant some poplars now for future fodder.

[@graphiccontent98]

A heavy horse... awesome

[@rogerscottcathey]

so that sapling was three years old? slow start, quick finish.

[@WayOutWestx2]

We plant them as one year old slips. Sorry - did I get the sums wrong? 14 years old in total - planted 13 years ago..

[@donolinger6904]

That can't be the world's fastest growing tree. You just cut it down so it's no longer growing.

[@HillbillyRednecking]

I still wish I could fill up a shipping container with hardwood logs to send to you

[@WayOutWestx2]

yes, please. that would be great!

[@Theorimlig]

Tim! I know you know your way around a chainsaw and have used one for years, but the face cut you made in that tree is dangerously narrow! I don't know what kind of chainsaw certification classes they have around there, but if there is one and you're going to be cutting down anything that can kill you (which doesn't need to be a very large tree, by the way) I implore you to look into it and get some sort of training from a professional. Chainsaws are dangerous, and trees are even more dangerous. Being self taught is not enough when dealing with the level of risk inherent to cutting down large trees. Look after yourself! Specific feedback: A face cut that narrow means the "top", diagonal cut in the tree will hit the "bottom" cut long before the tree is done falling. When that happens you're basically looking at one of two scenarios: 1) the tree breaks off of the stump prematurely and still has a dangerous amount of potential energy left in it, while the direction of fall is no longer controlled. I don't need to explain to an engineery type like yourself why that is dangerous. :P When the weight of the tree breaks the hinge the trunk should be closer to horizontal. 2) The tree doesn't break off completely or does break off (like in the video), but gets hung up on another tree or something else. Also very dangerous! A tree where the face cut didn't close yet (because the angle is wider) might continue falling instead of getting hung up. The recommended angle of a face cut we get taught in Sweden is around 70 degrees. In other places it is a bit less. Yours seems to have a very sharp angle indeed though, which can lead to some serious trouble. I'm not by any means an expert, I've only had basic chainsaw training in ag school. Just looking out for you!

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Theodor. I'm always learning and I'm happy to hear such good advice. (It's a funny thing though, that everyone seems to have a different way of doing things.) I've never had any proper chainsaw training (or in anything much!) so I'm always happy enough if the back cut meets with the wedge cut and the tree falls over in vaguely the right direction : - ) I promise I'll do better next time.

[@badboy-bn2xx]

TheodorEriksson just don't use a face cut, spur cut it it's safer anyway

[@chaytonthompson5928]

Chainsaw classes?

[@Theorimlig]

Well, what is safety worth? What is efficiency worth? I doubt the cost of chainsaw classes is ever not justified.

[@macmcleod1188]

Other videos on KZbin show the risks of this type of cut. The parent poster is correct. We all see this cut and movies and stuff but apparently it has a lot of risk.

[@solidwoods6999]

I'd guess a bench with a back. It has metal legs and metal brackets to fasten the back to the seat. Parts of the metal work will be decorated using the cnc plasma cutter. The question is will it be for indoor or outdoor ?

[@WayOutWestx2]

Nope, not that.

[@romanchomenko2912]

You were measuring the trunk wrong place a string around the trunk measure it divide by 3.14159 to get diameter and divide by number of years that will give you a measurement per year also weight to get density of popular tree.

[@Adnancorner]

nop i think green buttonwood is the fastest grow... 4 years the same size you showing... in the video and it keep on growing and travel upto kilometer for water. we got the same size in our desert garden and it grow 24 inches in a year.

[@ncktbs]

i was going to say cottonwood grows real fast but not that fast here at least hoever they do get BIG theres one on grandads place thats a solid 6 feet across and still alive

[@brothersclub6783]

Nice

[@ohmahgawdfilms]

the worlds fastest growing tree in the world is actually Paulownia or Royal empress tree. growing upwards of 10 feet a year.

[@WayOutWestx2]

Not around here it doesn't : - (

[@ohmahgawdfilms]

fair enough

[@logik100.0]

I had a mimosa that grew that fast.

[@63256325N]

Not the greatest firewood but it'll do. Thanks for the video.

[@Sigibrand]

I have never heard of a Poplar tree referred to as cottonwood. At least in my area, Midwest U.S., we have our own little set of cottonwood trees known for their thick bark and the cottonlike seeds they spread in spring. Most of the ones I have seen are 80 years old or so from being planted right after the Dust Bowl, at least as I understand it.

[@boomer1579]

Cottonwoods are in the Poplar (Populus) family. There are also Tuliptrees, mistakenly called "Poplars", but they are not. Tuliptrees are "Liriodendron tulipifera", in the Magnolia family.

[@rivervalleyfarm482]

That is rather impressive growth. What type of poplar is it?

[@WayOutWestx2]

we don't know the variety. It has very big leaves..

[@iian_]

is bamboo considered a grass?

[@WayOutWestx2]

yes

[@jaycal1920]

no ladder?

[@happycamper2976]

fastest growing tree what kind is it?

[@WayOutWestx2]

Poplar (as I mentioned in the video!)

[@avapire2359]

Was*

[@GaryBoyd02]

Populars are notoriously fast. But also notoriously famous for blowing over in high winds causing damage so plant with that in mind. But you guys probably already knew that.

[@WayOutWestx2]

We're learning the hard way

[@almightyyak675]

Has that guy ever cut down trees before? Tell him next time that he might want to aim the tree away from other trees.

[@benmatthews3732]

Hello again - I was just watching your video on making? curing? sheepskin hides, and wondered if you would sell one. And what postage to the USA would be! I still have your candles hanging by my fireplace. I like them too much to use them. 😃 (Bonnie)

[@WayOutWestx2]

Thanks, Bonnie, but we don't have any skins available at the moment. We're excited about the new lambs that are due any day now but it seems to early to look at them as potential rugs! Let's think about it again in the autumn : - )

[@andreim841]

Is that the 262 XP?

[@WayOutWestx2]

it's the 365

[@dubhaltaghohearcain2431]

Building yourself a casket

[@WayOutWestx2]

Yep!

[@dubhaltaghohearcain2431]

Its a beautiful thing to able to build your own coffin. Id say probable much cheaper as well. The cost of those things are outrageous. Hopefully you'll need to use it anytime soon.

[@conradhenderson6306]

il go the opposite I have kauri timber with growth rings barely quarter a mm apart kauri is one the slowest growing taking nearly a thousand years to reach full maturity

[@jasperedwards3341]

pappel i think its called here

[@grahamtotte7133]

Poplar is better than nothing but it is inferior firewood to pine or birch. Doesn't have a lot of heat in it

[@lorineidtinytoadplot744]

Popular are like weeds here also BC Canada 😉

[@christian9125abd]

The fastest growing tree is the "Kaiserbaum" an tree from asia but i think your tree only grows fast for an certain time and after that slower and Maybe also only so fast as in Irland is much water and a Long vegatation Periode i think here in Austria spruce would be able to Keep on with your tree when it would be here

[@HillbillyRednecking]

Cottonwood and poplar trees in the states are two different trees

[@WayOutWestx2]

If I remember right, cottonwoods are just types of poplars

[@boomer1579]

@@WayOutWestx2 That is true. Tuliptrees are not Poplars, but Cottonwoods and Aspens are.

[@kellogsnotavailable]

Oh my, that poor gravel road...

[@RuataLungchuang]

I think Chinaberry grows faster