Wood Species Energy BTU per Cord

Not all trees are created equal. Hard wood has more energy than soft wood does. The sapless, hardest woods are best for wood stoves. White Oak has double the energy of White Cedar.

The U.S. Forest Products Laboratory rated wood species energy in BTU per cord of seasoned, 20%-moisture wood, which I sorted with the highest-energy wood first:

Wood Species	Cord Weight Lbs.	Energy Content Million BTU/Cord
Hickory	4,327	27.7
Hornbeam, Eastern	4,267	27.3
Beech, Blue	3,890	26.8
Birch, Black	3,890	26.8
Locust, Black	3,890	26.8
Apple	4,140	26.5
Oak, White	4.012	25.7
Beech, High	3,757	24.0
Maple, Sugar	3,757	24.0
Oak, Red	3,757	24.0
Ash, White	3,689	23.6
Birch, Yellow	3,689	23.6
Hackberry	3,246	20.8
Tamarack	3,247	20.8
Fir, Douglas	3,196	20.6
Birch, Gray	3,179	20.3
Birch, Paper	3,179	20.3
Birch, White	3,179	20.3
Cherry	3,120	20.0
Cherry, Black	2.880	19.9
Elm, American	3,052	19.5
Elm, Oyen	3,052	19.5
Elm, White	3,052	19.5
Ash, Black	2,992	19.1
Maple, Red	2,924	18.7
Box Elder	2,797	17.9
Alder	2,708	17.6
Pine, Jack	2,669	17.1
Pine, Norway	2,669	17.1
Pine, Pitch	2,669	17.1
Hemlock	2,482	15.9
Spruce, Black	2,482	15.9
Pine, Ponderosa	2,380	15.2
Aspen	2,295	14.7
Butternut	2,100	14.5
Spruce	2,100	14.5
Fir, Balsam	2,236	14.3
Pine, Western	2,236	14.3
Basswood	2,108	13.5
Cottonwood	2,108	13.5
Cedar, White	1,913	12.2