Southern Black Cherry Wood

Prunus serotina timber is valuable.

Southern black cherry wood.

In the southern appalachian mountains the bark of black cherry has been used in cough medicines and sedatives. The heartwood can vary in colour from reddish brown to either deep red or a lighter red brown. Black cherry is characterized by late maturing fruit and is distinct from the other cherries because it has dark bark with irregular scales that peel off easily and a light to dark reddish brown. The strong hard wood of this tree is close grained.

The american black cherry tree grows abundantly in much of the eastern us with the most prized cherry wood coming from the allegheny plateau. Other names black cherry capulin cherry chisos wild cherry choke cherry edwards plateau cherry escarpment cherry gila choke cherry mountain black cherry new england mahogany plum rum cherry southwestern chokecherry whiskey. Next let s touch briefly on identifying cherry firewood so you can be sure of the type of wood you re dealing with. The wood of black cherry is valuable for making furniture and cabinets.

Black cherry stands alone for its commercial value as a lumber wood. It can take a beating and look great for years. The narrow sapwood is whitish to reddish brown sometimes a creamy pink. This wood normally has brown flecks and small gum pockets.

In the united states most cherry woods that are sold at fine wood suppliers are of the species known as american black cherry. Other cherry trees most often function as decorative trees or fruit bearers. If lower grade larger logs are sawn to exclude sapwood and further manufacture eliminates sapwood in the product fencing cladding furniture cherry is an excellent exterior wood. Perhaps the premier cabinetry timber of the u s traded as cherry.

It is also used to make paneling veneers interior trim toys and scientific instruments. High quality cherry timber is known for its strong orange hues and high price. The relative proximity of these cherry forests translates to a smaller carbon footprint due to shorter transportation routes from forest to mill to craftsman. Because it takes dark stains well maple is often stained to mimic a pricier wood like cherry or mahogany which is a controversial pick itself because of deforestation in the regions where it s harvested.

Freshly cut cherry is often very pale but the wood oxidizes to its famously favorable rich brown red in time. Low quality wood as well as the sap wood can be more tan. This tree is commonly found in pennsylvania although it can be found in other areas of the northeastern united states and to a lesser extent in southeastern ontario and southern quebec. Black cherry sapwood in not rot resistant at all most cherry is sawn for grade and nearly all boards contain sapwood often both faces.

The wood of prunus serotina is also used as a spice in foods as it imparts a unique flavor.