Use laurel in woodburner?

dollydolittle_2

Last autumn we reduced the height of two laurel hedges by over six feet all the way along. We've been told that you shouldn't burn laurel as it gives off cyanide, so we piled it up in a huge pile while we had a think what to do with it. And we are still thinking!

However, hubby says he recently read a comment somewhere on the net saying that if you leave it for long enough after you cut it then it is OK to burn it as the cyanide breaks down over time.

Anyone know if this is true? If it is then we have enough kindling for several years and a fair amount of decent sized logs too.

Mojisola

I'd be very worried about the amount of carbon monoxide in the room if cyanide from burning laurel could affect you. Doesn't the smoke (and fumes) from your woodburner go up the chimney?

dollydolittle_2

That's what I thought too. But apparently you shouldn't even burn it on a bonfire outside where the ventilation is obviously good, so I don't know if it is different to carbon monoxide.

bernithebiker

We have a small chateau in France with 38 acres, stuffed full of laurel. I have been trying to clear it out for the last 6 years as it is dominates all the other trees.

I burn the branches on bonfires, and keep the logs. They are used to heat the whole chateau (Guntamatic 44kW log boiler). We also burn the laurel on our open fire, and in our holiday houses (https://www.frenchberry.fr) I currently have about 70m3 of the stuff.

We are all still alive!

True, laurel does have cyanide in it, but the deer here eat it, and I am told you would have to eat several kilos of leaves/berries to have any ill effect. Also, when burnt, the cyanide will doubtless be consumed or oxidised, and is unlikely to cause any harm.

And in a wood burner, the smoke goes straight up the chimney anyway.

I have about 3 laurel bonfires a week, and have no doubt inhaled smoke at some point, but never felt any ill effects.

dollydolittle_2

Good to know you have survived! Seems such a waste not to use it

We tried to burn a little outside yesterday, and in the words of my hubby, 'it burned like rocket fuel, a pyramid of roaring fire' so I don't think we'll be doing that again, mainly because the pile waiting to be dealt with is so huge that we can't start a fire far enough away to be sure that the whole lot won't go up. You must have great fun with your three bonfires a week!

Presumably it needs to sit and season for a couple of years before we can use it anyway, but I was just wondering if it was worth the effort of separating the logs from the rest and storing it for all that time, or if we should pay someone to take it away.

From what you've said, I think I'll sort it all out, get rid of the brush, keep the logs and decent sized kindling for a while then maybe use it in moderation mixed with other wood inside.

Mojisola

dollydolittle wrote: »

We tried to burn a little outside yesterday, and in the words of my hubby, 'it burned like rocket fuel, a pyramid of roaring fire'

As this Scout leaflet says - "Laurel has a brilliant flame" - https://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/facts/pdfs/fs315001.pdf

bernithebiker

The leaves burn well, as they have some kind of oil in them. They go up with a fizz!

My logs dry in about 6 months, but a year is better.

Laurel is a member of the cherry family, so it's good, dense wood and burns well.