Cherry, European

Environmental

Not listed in CITES. Believed available from well-managed sources. Check certification status with suppliers.

Distribution

Europe including the British Isles. It occurs from Scandinavia and south-west Russia southwards, and is found in western Asia and the mountains of North Africa.

The tree

Cherry reaches a height of 18m to 24m and a diameter of about 0.75m. It has short, stout branches that take an upward direction.

The timber

The heartwood is pale pinkish-brown fairly well defined from the lighter coloured sapwood. The wood has a fairly fine, even texture, and a generally straight gram. It weighs about 630kg/m³ when dried.

Drying

Dries fairly well, with a tendency to warp.

Strength

A tough timber, its strength properties are similar to those of oak.

Working qualities

Good - Works well, but this is dependent on the type of grain present; cross grained material tends to tear, and a cutting angle of 20° is needed, but straight grained material finishes well. It is a good turnery wood, and takes stain and an excellent polish.