Cherry

Description

Overall view of a cherry tree in blossom during spring at a field edge.

The genus Prunus contains between 200-400 species distributed in most parts of the world, especially the northern temperate regions (North America, Asia and Europe/Mediterranean). This genus includes cherries, plums, peaches, almonds and apricots. All species look alike microscopically, however, woods in this genus with a reddish cast (light or dark red) with a light ray fleck are assumed to be Cherry. The word prunus is the classical Latin name for the Cherry tree. Cherry trees are native to the eastern half of the United States and also grow in high elevations in Mexico. Cherry trees reach heights of 100 ft with diameters of over 4 ft. Cherry sapwood is light yellow with deep red brown heartwood after exposure to air. It works well with most tools under most applications. It is rated as very resistant to heartwood decay. It is used for fine furniture, printing and engraving blocks, patterns, professional and scientific instruments, piano actions, handles, wooden ware, toys, and specialty items.

Tech Sheet

https://research.fs.usda.gov/silvics/black-cherry

Other Common Names

Close view of cherry leaves and fruit on a branch.

Other common names include; American cherry, black wild cherry, cabinet cherry, chisos wild cherry, Edwards Plateau cherry, escarpment cherry, gila chokecherry, mountain black cherry, rum cherry, southwest choke cherry, southwestern chokecherry, wild black cherry, wild cherry, whisky cherry.

Characteristics

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Characteristics found in the Cherry (Prunus spp.):

  • Semi-diffuse porous
  • Earlywood vessels in clusters at very beginning of growth ring
  • Spirals on vessels Coarse
  • Deposits in vessels
  • I/V pits medium (8-12)
  • Rays 1-6 seriate & heterocellular
  • Crystals in rays axial parenchyma

Slides (Click on each image to view a larger image)

WOOD SLIDES

Microscope slide of cherry wood. Arrows point to the growth ring boundaries.

Cross-section of Cherry (Prunus sp.) showing clusters of earlywood vessels at the very beginning of two growth rings.

Microscope slide of transverse section of cherry wood. Arrows identifying the growth ring boundary.
Microscope slide of radial section of the cherry wood. Arrows point to the square-type ray zones.
Microscope slide of radial section of cherry wood at higher magnification. Arrows point to the vessels, contents, and rays.
Microscope slide of radial section of cherry wood. Arrows point to the vessels, spirals in the vessels, and the ray.
Microscope slide of radio section of cherrywood. Arrows point to the vessels, and the spirals within the vessels.
Microscope slide of tangential section of cherrywood. Arrows point to the vessels, the contents, and rays.
Microscope slide of tangential section of cherry wood at higher magnification. Arrows point to the rays and the spirals within the vessels.
Microscope slide of a tangential section of cherrywood. Rays are denoted by a capital R in yellow and arrows point to the vessels.

CHARCOAL SLIDES

Microscope slide of transverse section of cherry charcoal. Arrows point to the growth ring boundaries.
Microscope slide of transverse section of cherry charcoal at higher magnification. Arrows identify the growth ring boundaries.
Microscope slide transfer section of cherry charcoal at high magnification. Arrows identify the rays, vessels, growth ring boundaries, and fibers.
Microscope slide of radio section of cherry charcoal. Arrows point to the rays.
Microscope slide of radial section of cherry charcoal. Arrows identify heterocellular ray types.
Microscope slide of section of cherry charcoal at higher magnification. Arrows identify the vessel and group of heterocellular ray types.
Microscope slide of tangential section of cherry charcoal. Arrows identify spirals within the vessels, inter-vessel pitting, and the rays.
Microscope slide of tangential section of cherry charcoal. Arrows point to the rays.
Microscope slide of tangential section of cherry charcoal. Arrows point to vessel spirals, inter-vessel pitting, and the rays.