Scientific Name: Prunus serotina         Family: Rosaceae

Commercial names: black cherry, cabinet cherry

Other names: wild cherry, rum cherry, whiskey cherry

Distribution: In small quantities or scattered trees in deciduous forest areas in Canada and USA.

General description: Heartwood varies from rich red to reddish-brown, with a fine, straight, close grain with narrow brown pith flecks and sometimes small gum pockets. The sapwood is a much lighter color, almost white. Both heartwood and sapwood become noticeably darker when exposed to light. Specific gravity = 0.58 (36 lb/ft3).

Mechanical properties: The timber has good wood bending properties, low stiffness, and medium strength and resistance to shock loads.

Durability: Sapwood is liable to attack by the common furniture beetle, but the heartwood is very resistant to decay. The wood is moderately durable.

Uses: Pattern making, tobacco pipes, musical instruments, furniture, cabinet making, high-class joinery, boat interiors, and backing blocks for printing plates. It is an excellent turnery and carving wood. Selected logs are made into decorative veneers for furniture, cabinets, wall paneling, flushdoors, etc.

Interesting facts: Live trees are susceptible to tent worms. In the past few decades, use of cherry in fine wood products has increased dramatically, making it more expensive. Average tree height is 80 feet with average trunk diameter being 2 feet. Trees are large enough to harvest after about 35-40 years with full height obtained in about 100 years. Its appearance so closely resembles that of true mahogany that cherry is sometimes called New England mahogany. It is a wood that is truly a pleasure to work with and products made from it have a very warm look.

 

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Most of the above information is from: World Woods in Color, by William A. Lincoln, 1986.