Never burn wood with a pit, plum, cherry, or peach. Is it a wives tale or not?

by George
(Pittsburg PA)

I Was taught this since I was young. I was told that indoors these woods give off toxins and should not be burned.


Answer

George,

It's a wives tale. The only species that you need to really be concerned about that are native to Pennsylvania are Poison Ivy and its cousins Poison Oak and Poison Sumac.

The common misconception about not being able to burn cherry comes from the poisonous nature of the fruit from the chokecherry tree which can be poisonous when ingested.

The truth of the matter is that most fruit woods are highly sought after for their pleasant aroma when burning.

Hope this clears things up for you!

-Firewood Matt