Black Cherry lumber comes from one of the most prized hardwood species. Hailing from North America, Cherry wood has its roots in all aspects of life. From fine furniture to musical instruments, this material is well-loved and sought after by artisans and hobbyists alike. Cherry hardwood has earned recognition thanks to its workability, beautiful grain, and magnificent color, so it’s no secret why it’s a staple for several Gutchess customers.

Let’s take a deep dive into Cherry lumber, covering its uses, history, and why it’s such a popular choice for projects big and small.

What are the different uses of Cherry wood?

You don’t need to be a lumber expert to know Cherry wood’s beauty. This warm-toned, rich hardwood strikes the perfect balance between strength and flexibility, so it has a variety of uses:

 

• Hardwood flooring: absorbs shock and is scratch-resistant

• Musical instruments: is pliable enough to bend without splintering and creates resonant sound in acoustic instruments

• Boat interiors: takes well to weather-proofing and creates beautiful decks

• Carving: isn’t too dense to hand carve for artistic projects

• Furniture and cabinets: offers rich color and superior durability

Over the past few years, bright colors have inspired interior design trends like “dopamine decor,” that feature maximalist furniture and bright colors. With this trend, Cherry wood is poised to surge in popularity as a way to brighten up a space with warm-toned flooring or furniture.

Types of Cherry Wood

It’s important to distinguish between the Cherry wood types because they all come from different regions, from different trees, and have different characteristics. However, true Cherry wood types all fall under the “Prunus” genus. These include:

Name	Also Known As	Region	Characteristics	Fun Fact
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)	American Cherry Rum Cherry Wild Cherry	Eastern North America	Heartwood is a light pinkish-brown color. Darkens with light exposure. Sapwood is a pale, yellow color.	When settlers first came to the United States, colonial furniture builders called this “New England Mahogany” due to its tendency to change color after sunlight exposure.
Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium)	European Cherry wood	Europe and Asia	Heartwood is a light pinkish-brown color. Darkens with light exposure. Sapwood is a pale, yellow color.	The Sweet Cherry is smaller than the Black Cherry tree with heights that reach between 32 and 65 feet tall.
Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata)	Oriental Cherry Hill Cherry East Asian Cherry Japanese Cherry	China, Korea, and Japan	Sapwood is pale pinkish brown to creamy. Heartwood is brown with gold and green hues.	This plant is what people often mean when they refer to Cherry trees.
Paperback Cherry (Prunus serrula)	Birchback Cherry Tibetan Cherry	Western China	Bark peels in layers. Heartwood has a smooth, mahogany color.	This tree grows from 20 feet to 30 feet tall, so it’s one of the smaller Cherry trees.
Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus)	Pie Cherry Tart Cherry	Europe and Southwest Asia	Typically smaller than other Cherry trees, due to how they’re grown and not valued for lumber.	These trees are grown primarily for their fruit.

Many other tree types fall outside the Prunus genus but are still commonly called Cherry wood. These types aren’t the same species as the true Cherry types we just covered, but they’re categorized as Cherry thanks to their similar properties. They include:

• Brazilian Cherry (Hymenaea courbaril): Otherwise known as Jatoba, this tree earns its name from its resemblance to Black Cherry. The Brazilian Cherry is found in the West Indies, northern South America, and Central America. These trees can grow between 100 feet and 130 feet tall.
• Patagonian Cherry (Guibourtia hymenaeifolia): This tree actually hails from the rose family and is sometimes called the Tiete Rosewood. It’s native to South America, growing between 130 and 165 feet tall. The Patagonian Cherry tree’s wood is dense and hard to work with but its color greatly resembles the Black Cherry tree.
• Barbados Cherry (Malpighia galbra): This tree is known by several names, including Wild Crapemyrtle, Acerola, Manzanita, and more. It can be found in southern Texas, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. The Barbados Cherry got its name because it produces cherry-like fruit, but that’s where the resemblance ends.
• Chilean Cherry (Nothofagus dombeyi): This “Cherry” tree is part of the Beech tree family, though it’s nearly identical to the Black Cherry tree. The Chilean Cherry tree is also called Coigue, hailing from Chile and Argentina.

 

 

Cherry Tree Lore

Cherry wood is more than a stylish material used in woodworking and luxury interiors. It’s also part of one of the most well-known American myths that our first president, George Washington, had Cherry wood teeth.

While Washington’s Cherry tree legend has gone through different iterations over the years, the long-standing narrative is that young Washington received a hatchet and cut down a Cherry tree that he shouldn’t have.

When confronted, Washington was honest about the damage. This act solidified his reputation as a virtuous and honest leader. While the legend has been debunked and rebuked, the myth has endured for over 200 years and is an integral part of America’s cultural heritage.

This Cherry Tree myth speaks to the importance of its enduring presence in all aspects of North America — although we can all agree it can stay out of dentistry.

Cherry Wood Traits

The Black Cherry tree (Prunus serotina) is native to North America and some areas of South America. It grows from southeastern Canada, through the eastern United States. In the southern United States, it’s found further west towards Texas, with smaller populations throughout the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Guatemala.

The main commercial areas of Cherry tree growth in the United States include:

• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• New York

The Cherry tree thrives in growing conditions with moist, well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. The Black Cherry tree is particularly resilient and can grow despite plunging temperatures. Although it’s a medium-sized tree with an average height ranging between 50 and 60 feet, the Black Cherry tree can grow up to 110 feet tall.

It’s found in abundance throughout North America due to its resilience to changing growing conditions and the wide distribution of its seed from various native birds.

Cherry Hardwood Density

The Janka Hardness Scale measures the hardness of domestic wood species, like Cherry wood. This test measures the force required to embed an 11.28mm steel ball halfway into a piece of wood and is expressed in pounds-force (lbf). A higher number rating indicates that a wood species is harder than a species with a lower rating. Although the Janka Hardness Scale is traditionally used to determine whether a wood species is suitable for flooring, it’s a good measure of a wood species’ overall durability.

On the Janka Hardness Scale, the ranking for standard Cherry hardwood is 950 lbf and different types of Cherry wood have similar ratings. Wood species don’t always share similar Janka ratings. For example, Walnut wood’s hardness ranges dramatically depending on where it was sourced.

Thanks to its medium density, Cherry wood has good flexibility and medium shock resistance. This allows it to withstand wear and dents and is why it’s such a popular choice for hardwood furniture.

Cherry Hardwood Wood Grain

Cherry wood features a fine, straight grain except for figured pieces with curly grain patterns, which make it a fine choice for woodworking. As with any wood, there can be defects from pith, mineral deposits, gum pockets, or knots. Cherry hardwood endgrain features small to medium pores with a random arrangement and distinct growth rings.

Are Cherry Trees Hardwood Trees?

Yes, Cherry trees are hardwood trees because they have the main characteristics we use to classify hardwood species.

• Seed type: Hardwoods are angiosperms, which means their seeds develop from flowers into fruit. Cherry trees flower and create fruit.
• Leaf behaviour: Hardwoods are deciduous, which means they lose and regrow their leaves each year. Cherry trees follow this cycle

They differ from softwood trees, whose seeds have none of the protection offered by fruit — they’re simply dropped to the ground to deal with the elements. Softwood tree seeds are needles and cones called gymnosperm, meaning “naked seed.” Almost all softwood trees are evergreen, which means they retain their needles year-round.

Source Quality Cherry Wood from Gutchess Lumber

Source the lumber your customers need to finish their dream projects. Whether you need a dependable lumber manufacturer for your flooring business or a source of ethical materials for local woodworkers, Gutchess Lumber Co., Inc., has the quality Cherry hardwood you need to meet the demand.

 

Our team of foresters uses a process called selective harvesting to promote natural forest regeneration, which ultimately has a positive impact on climate change. As trees mature, they slowly absorb less carbon dioxide. Selective harvesting removes mature trees that have reached their peak carbon storage capacity. We use this process to strategically remove mature trees, creating space and resources for younger trees to grow and be able to continue to absorb carbon dioxide at a faster rate.

Carbon Absorption:

As trees mature, they soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their wood. When trees soak up carbon dioxide, they help balance the carbon levels in the atmosphere and mitigate climate change. Using selective harvesting to remove mature trees, the younger trees can continue to absorb carbon dioxide and store it as they grow, generating a healthy forest.

Promoting Growth:

Selectively harvesting mature trees allows sunlight to get to the forest floor, allowing more trees to grow. This process helps promote the growth of the next generation of trees that are ready to absorb carbon at a quicker rate than mature trees. When we responsibly harvest hardwood trees, natural regeneration occurs.

Carbon Lock-In:

Mature trees release stored carbon over time, but when harvested, their carbon remains locked in the hardwood products we produce instead of being released back into the atmosphere. This results in the carbon staying sequestered for long periods of time, helping mitigate climate change by taking the carbon out of the atmosphere and storing it.

Manufacturing with Carbon:

Hardwood products store carbon dioxide the tree captured throughout its life. This carbon remains locked away for decades within the furniture, flooring, and other beautiful creations crafted from our sustainable and natural building materials.

 

At Gutchess, we understand the benefits of selectively harvesting mature trees and utilize this process daily to create long-lasting hardwood products, that contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change.

Think of the Earth like your house on a holiday, filled with so many guests, you are running out of room for everyone to sit. Imagine there is one person turning up the heat even though your house is already extra warm from all of your guests. We will call that one person, Carbon Dioxide. Just like too much heat in your home can make all of your guests uncomfortable, excess Carbon Dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere results in the planet warming up.

Now think of automatic air-conditioning in your home, it kicks on every time your house gets too hot. A process called Carbon Sequestration does this for the Earth. Every time there is excess Carbon Dioxide in the air, warming the planet, Carbon Sequestration helps remove the excess Carbon Dioxide from the air, managing Earth’s “thermostat”. Ensuring that the “house’s” temperature is comfortable enough for everyone.

We understand how Carbon Sequestration plays a pivotal role in regulating Earth’s “thermostat”. Let’s talk about what contributes to Carbon Sequestration, how this process works and the various methods used to improve Earth’s temperature naturally.

 

The 3 C’s: Climate Change, Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Sequestration

Some key terms you need to know in order to understand Carbon Sequestration are:

Climate Change: occurs when greenhouse gas emissions wrap around the Earth and trap in the sun’s heat, causing the temperature to rise.

Carbon Dioxide: is a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration. It is naturally present in air and is absorbed by plants in photosynthesis. This process is called, the carbon cycle:

 

Did you know, carbon dioxide is the most commonly produce greenhouse gas? Carbon Dioxide forms from daily practices like cooling, heating and lighting. Organizations like EPA monitor how the United States contributed to greenhouse gas emission, specifically our carbon dioxide emissions. In 2022, carbon dioxide emissions totaled 79.7% of total emissions in the United States:

Given Carbon Dioxide results for more than 75% of the total United States greenhouse gas emissions, carbon sequestration is a promising solution to act as Earth’s natural mechanism to remove excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Climate Change, Carbon Dioxide and carbon sequestration form a interconnected system, if one changes they all change. Understanding how they connect is crucial for carbon sequestration to work effectively to build a sustainable future.

 

The Process of Carbon Sequestration

Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. The purpose behind this process is to stabilize carbon in solid and dissolved forms, so the Earth’s temperate doesn’t get too hot. There are 3 critical processes that take place in each type of Carbon Sequestration:

1. Capture: The CO2 needs to be captured for storage and is separated from other gases.
2. Transport: The CO2 is then compressed and transported using pipelines, road transport or ships to a site for storage.
3. Storage: Finally, the CO2 is injected into rock formations deep underground for permanent storage.

 

The Types of Carbon Sequestration

Scientists are using different four main types of Carbon Sequestration to solve the ongoing climate change issues. Each type has its own distinct characteristics and process.

Biological Carbon Sequestration

Carbon dioxide is found in vegetation in places like oceans, soil, forests and grasslands. Forests specifically, hold 25 percent of global carbon emissions in plant-rich landscapes such as forests, grasslands and rangelands. Trees in forest act as paper towels for atmospheric carbon. If you spill water on the counter and use a paper towel, it absorbs all the water it can until you have to use another one. Trees do the same, but with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Trees use the carbon sequestration process to capture carbon dioxide and hold carbon as an effective method of reducing atmospheric concentrations of CO2 pictured here:

Geological Carbon Sequestration

Another way carbon dioxide is captured and stored is through, Geological Carbon Sequestration, in underground rock formations. For example, sandstone and limestone are injected with carbon when industrial plants like steel mills and power plants emit carbon dioxide. Other ways carbon dioxide is injected is through depleted oil and gas reservoirs to improve the recovery of remaining oil and gas. Large volumes of carbon dioxide can be stored using this method. In recent news, Ricardo Pereira, discovered a potential off shore extinct volcano in Portugal that could store gigatons of carbon dioxide.

If this study is successful, this discovery would help store the equivalent of ~24-125 years of the country’s industrial emissions.

Exxon Mobil is a global leader of carbon capture and storage using a geological method. They capture carbon dioxide and inject it into geologic formations deep underground for safe, secure and permanent storage. Their goal was to reduce emissions from sectors like refining, chemicals, cement, steel and power generation. They have now more than 1,500 miles of CO2 pipeline owned and operated – largest network in the U.S. and have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by > 100 million metric tons a year.

Technological Carbon Sequestration

This is a relatively newer process which involves using technology to capture and store CO2 or make it into a resource.

Graphene production: Graphene is a material that is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon, an example is the lead of a pencil. Carbon dioxide is used as a raw material to produce graphene, a technological material. You can find Graphene in everyday items like your smart phones and other tech devices.

Direct Air Capture (DAC): is when carbon is captured directly from the air. This process is energy intensive and expensive. This technique can be effective, but is still too costly to implement on a mass scale. There are 3 basic steps to DAC that produce 2 outputs: concentrated CO2 and filtered air:

Engineered molecules: Molecules are engineered to create new kinds of compounds capable of singling out and capturing carbon dioxide from the air. The engineered molecules act as a filter solely for carbon dioxide.

 

Industrial Carbon Sequestration

This method involves capturing carbon dioxide released from industrial processes through pre-combustion, post-combustion, and oxyfuel. This is the least common type of sarbon sequestration.

Pre-combustion capture: During pre-combustion carbon capture before fuel combustion. Benefits of pre-combustion, include high efficiency and relatively easier carbon removal from fossil fuels.

 

Post-combustion capture: during, post-combustion carbon capture, CO is captured snf removed before they exit smoke stacks from flue gasses after combustion. This process is common for retrofitting existing power plants and has been proven to recover CO2 at a rate up to 800 tonnes/day.

 

Oxyfuel combustion: Oxygen is used to burn fuel, resulting in a flue gas primarily composed of CO.

 

How Carbon is Stored in Hardwood

Hardwood trees sequester carbon through photosynthesis by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and converting it into glucose and oxygen. Hardwoods like oak and maple store substantial amounts of carbon during their lifespand. This is due to their density and longevity. When these trees are produced into hardwood products like furniture, flooring and cabinets they continue to store carbon. Carbon is also transferred through leaf litter and root decomposition. This process contributes to the biological carbon sequestration mentioned above.

 

The Benefits of Carbon Sequestration

Carbon Sequestration is an effective solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change, by removing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This process stabilizes the Earth’s temperature and directly impacts the climate change and the natural events associated with it like wildfires hurricanes, rising sea levels and disrupted ecosystems. Renewable and energy efficient ways of living have been developed by scientists leveraging different processes and types of carbon sequestration.

Importance of Carbon Sequestration in Forestry

Over the last 40 years, forests have absorbed 25% of human carbon emissions, slowing the rate of climate change. The longer trees live for, the more carbon dioxide they hold.

 

The 5 main benefits carbon sequestration in forestry are:

Time: The longer a forest is alive, the more carbon it will hold.

Purification: Water and air. One tree can take in 10 pounds of pollution and produce enough oxygen for 2 people.

Flood Control: Reducing erosion and runoff

Resources: Trees protect resources that humans rely on heavily like food, medicine and landscaping materials.

Dry Land: If there are not enough trees this can result in to much sun exposure and lead to dry soil, more carbon and dead organisms.

Restoring forests with high carbon density, planting diverse tree species to maximize biodiversity, dividing land zones and leveraging a forest’s carbon cycle are a few ways we can maximize the carbon sequestration benefits for forests.

 

Gutchess Lumber’s Sustainable Forestry and Carbon Sequestration

In 2024, our goal is to create a greener and more sustainable future by practicing responsible forestry management. This practice enables natural forest regeneration and creates climate change-resilient forests, which are known to be more resilient.

Our commitment to minimizing carbon dioxide begins in our forests and supports the flow of carbon that is sequestered in the timber to the hardwood lumber products we produce. Hardwood products can store carbon for decades, centuries, or indefinitely in some cases. By using hardwood products, you can help to mitigate climate change.

You are supporting environmental sustainability when you buy Gutchess hardwood. We also offer Forest Management Consulting, to assist other forest landowners in maximizing their long term returns through professional forest management. We will create a greener future for our customers, for our families, and for our planet.

In 2024, we are all about ecology and sustainability and hardwood forests are nature’s heroes when it comes to promoting sustainability and fighting climate change. Our hardwood forests act as our silent guardians and protect, not only our health but the overall biodiversity. One of their main roles? Carbon sequestration!

Now what is carbon sequestration, you ask? Simply put, it is the process of capturing and storing the atmospheric carbon dioxide. But let’s delve a little deeper into this phenomenon and take a look at how hardwood’s carbon sequestration powers help us and save our environment.

Now, our relationship with carbon is a little bittersweet. While this atmospheric gas is all around us, it is also the primary culprit behind global warming and climate change. Rapid industrialisation and urbanisation have led to activities such as burning fossil fuels and rampant deforestation and as a result, the catapult of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels to unprecedented levels.

Now, how do we combat carbon dioxide? The answer is hardwood forests. Hardwood forests are the true champions in the fight against climate change and the unsung heroes in the battle against rising carbon levels. These forests have the unique ability to absorb and store vast amounts of carbon, effectively mitigating the effects of climate change caused by rising carbon dioxide levels.

Hardwood forests, with their dense and durable properties and their extensive root network, essentially act as nature’s carbon vaults. They absorb the bad from the atmosphere (carbon dioxide) and expel the good (oxygen), keeping us alive and thriving in the process. Now, hardwood trees don’t just store carbon, they lock it away for decades on end. Their ability to store carbon only increases as these trees grow and mature, thus storing more amounts of carbon.

Hardwood forests make up a conducive ecosystem of biodiversity, which keeps healing the planet. Which is why it is so essential to protect these ecosystems. By safeguarding and protecting hardwood forests, we ensure that carbon keeps getting sequestered, and we maintain a healthy, green planet with rich and invaluable biodiversity hotspots.

 

Join Gutchess Lumber in our effort to practice sustainable forestry, in order to ensure sustainability and the protection of the gems that are hardwood forests.