The right wood emits desirable heat, produces small amounts of creosote, and doesn’t give off harmful gasses.
With a bevy of materials to burn, you might be wondering:
Can You Burn Mimosa Wood In A Wood Stove?
Absolutely yes. Mimosa burns great and leaves a reasonable amount of coal once the fire dies, which makes it one of the best woods to burn in wood stoves on those chilly winter nights. However, there are some cautions and warnings to consider when burning mimosa.
If you are contemplating burning mimosa firewood, there are many characteristics that make it ideal for burning.
This post will cover more on burning mimosa and what makes the best wood.
Understanding The Mimosa Tree
Native to tropical regions in Asia and Africa, mimosa plants are popular ornamental plants that adorn many homes and wild spaces across the west and south of the US.
They are prominent for their prolific growth and the bright, tight pink clusters that excellently strike against the deep green foliage.
The flowers have pink to yellow stamens and a strong, captivating scent.
Regarding their growth, mimosa plants are incredibly adaptable but do best in warmer climates.
However, it is worth noting that their seed pods can be toxic to animals.
Perhaps the most interesting characteristic of mimosa trees, which also makes them ideal for use as firewood, is their high tannin levels.
High tannins make mimosa resistant to rot, fungus, and water damage.
Notably, mimosa is classified as hardwood and has a dark, distinct grain. As for color, the heartwood varies from light brown to reddish brown or deep gold, while the sapwood is pale yellow.
The exotic contrasting colors make it great for woodwork.
How Does Mimosa Wood Burn?
Mimosa wood is good for firewood. And because it doesn’t contain much sap or pitch, it is easy to split, seasons faster, and burns clean.
When properly seasoned — mimosa wood needs about six months to season properly, but it is encouraged to let it season for nine months — the wood catches fire quickly and burns hot and safely.
Because it also burns quickly, mimosa is a preferred wood for burning in wood stoves.
With mimosa wood, you won’t have problems with sparking and residue buildup.
It also does not contain resin, so it will not produce a popping sound as it burns.
Even better, when the fire dies, mimosa wood leaves a good amount of lasting coal, which you can use for some cooking as you keep yourself warm.
Most notably, although mimosa wood burns clean, it releases many oils you don’t want to inhale.
Worse, it is reported that these oils can cause lung ailments and irritations, coughing, or exacerbate allergies, so burn the wood in a ventilated space.
For hikers and campers, mimosa wood is a great choice for starting a fire, and its bark can help you start a fire where other options fail.
However, there are warnings to take into consideration before burning mimosa in the wilderness.
The most important is that green mimosa wood can pop, crack, and potentially explode. For this reason, always collect only dry pieces.
What Makes Good Firewood For A Wood Stove?
The importance of choosing the right wood to burn is the same all over.
While all woods burn, for your wood stove, you need to go for high-quality firewood that burns hot and steadily, producing the heat you need.
Whether you buy firewood or harvest your own, the best firewood should meet these simple criteria:
1. Must Be Dry
If you are an experienced firekeeper, you can swear by properly seasoned firewood.
Well-seasoned firewood catches fire quickly and burns great, giving off a fire that creates a mercurial display with its mesmerizing flame patterns.
It also emits little to no smoke. On the other hand, green (unseasoned or wet) wood burns abysmally, smokes horribly, and produces high amounts of damaging creosote.
The moisture in “wet” wood also creates excess favor, which further fuels the smoke the log emits.
Even worse, burning green wood produces a lot more carbon monoxide, which is a threat to your health. That said, under no circumstances should you burn green wood in your wood stove.
2. Must Contain Very Little Sap Or Pitch
Creosote buildup is the leading cause of chimney fires, and wood with a lot of sap or pitch is known to result in an excess creosote build-up.
The best way to minimize creosote build-up is by burning seasoned wood with very little sap or pitch.
3. Should Not Be From A Poisonous Tree
While all woods burn, not all are safe for burning, particularly woods with poisonous sap.
Knowingly or inadvertently, if you burn wood from a tree with poisonous sap, the sap will gasify, which can pose a serious safety hazard.
Thankfully, mimosa lumber does not have any dangerous toxins saturating its grain.
As long as it is properly seasoned, mimosa wood checks all the boxes — It is not poisonous and contains very little sap/pitch.
Notably, while mimosa wood seasons in about six months, it can take around 12 months to season properly, depending on where you live and when the tree was logged.
Best of all, mimosa is hardwood.
The Five Kinds Of Wood That You Should Not Burn
It can be tempting to burn anything that will produce heat, especially if you heat only with wood.
Even if you entirely depend on wood, here are some kinds of wood that you should not burn in a wood stove:
1. Unseasoned Wood
Unseasoned wood burns inefficiently, produces a lot of smoke, and results in creosote build-up, the leading cause of chimney fires. In extreme cases, chimney fires can burn down your home.
2. Driftwood
While burning driftwood gives beautiful blue and lavender flames, there is a catch.
According to EPA, burning driftwood releases harmful chemicals into the environment. If you have driftwood, you can add it to your décor.
3. Poisonous Wood
This is very obvious. After all, no one wants to inhale those perilous fumes.
If you use a delivery service, make sure to confirm the firewood you are buying is safe for burning.
Some of the woods you should never burn in your wood stove are
- Poison Ivy
- Poison Oak
- and Poison Sumac.
4. Engaged Species
There is no good reason to burn a tree species that is at risk of extinction, especially if you have alternatives.
Thankfully, mimosa is not one of the endangered species. In fact, homeowners with mimosa trees in their yards need to be cautious; otherwise, the species might invade other areas.
5. Painted, Stained, Or Pressure-Treated Lumber
Painted, stained, as well as pressure-treated lumber often contain toxic chemicals that, when released into the air, can be hazardous.
It is imperative to be picky when choosing what to burn in your wood stove. The idea is to avoid burning anything that releases toxic chemicals into the air or threatens to cause a chimney fire.
Conclusion
Mimosa trees are safe for burning in a wood stove and actually make good quality firewood.
They are easy to split, burn great and safely, and leave lasting charcoal after the fire dies.
If you are looking to burn mimosa wood, just make sure to season it properly.