AMERICAN CHERRY Prunus serotina (Rosaceae)
The heartwood can vary in colour from reddish brown to either deep red or a lighter red-brown. It normally has brown flecks and small gum pockets. There can be marked colour variations between boards. The narrow sapwood is whitish to reddish brown, sometimes tending to creamy pink. American cherry has a fine, straight, close grain, a smooth texture and a rich satiny lustre. It can be found with dark wavy streaks. Quartersawn wood sometimes shows beautiful figure.
PROPERTIES
The wood has medium strength and resistance to shock loads, low stiffness and good
Bending properties. It steam-bends well, and has been compared to beech and ash (Fagus, Fraxinusspp.) in this regard. It works well with hand and machine tools, and glues, nails, screws and polishes well. American cherry turns, planes and moulds well, with a moderate blunting effect on tool edges. Exposure to ultraviolet light can change the wood to a mahogany colour.
SEASONING
It dries quickly, but fast drying can cause severe warping. Shrinkage is common, and ring shake can occur. It is dimensionally stable in service.
DURABILITY
The wood is moderately durable and the heartwood is very resistant to decay, though the sapwood is vulnerable to attack from the common furniture beetle. The heartwood is moderately resistant to preservative treatment.
TYPICAL USES
Furniture, cabinetmaking, quality joinery, Wood turning, carving and musical instruments. Also called Black cherry, cabinet cherry, choke cherry, Edwards Plateau cherry, wild cherry, wild black cherry, rum cherry, whiskey cherry, New England mahogany.
Facts and figures:
GROWS: Canada and USA
TYPICAL HEIGHT: 80ft (24m)’39; TRUNK DIAMETER: 2ft (O.6m)
TYPICAL DRY WEIGHT: 361b/ft’; (580kglm’)’ SPECIFIC GRAVITY: .58
HEALTH RISKS: Wheezing and giddiness.
