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Cherry (Prunus serotina)

Distribution - Throughout Midwestern and Eastern U. S. Main commercial areas: Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and New York.

General Description - The heartwood of cherry varies from rich red to reddish brown and will darken on exposure to light. In contrast, the sapwood is creamy white. The wood has a fine uniform straight grain, smooth texture, and may naturally contain brown pith flecks and small gum pockets.

Working Properties - Cherry is easy to machine, nails and glues well and when sanded and stained, it produces an excellent smooth finish. It dries fairly quickly with moderately high shrinkage, but is dimensionally stable after kiln-drying.

Physical Properties - The wood is of medium density with good bending properties; it has low stiffness and medium strength and shock resistance.

Availability - Readily available.

Main Uses - Fine furniture and cabinet making, mouldings and millwork, kitchen cabinets, paneling, doors, flooring, boat interiors, musical instruments, turnings and carvings.

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