Cherry, the wood of elegance

In the overview given wood appearanceI was saying that there are many characteristics that lead to the natural design of wood and that each species is beautiful and special in some way. According to paltinwho turned his flaws into strengths, nuc the noble vine and acacia beautiful and reliable, now it's the turn of an essence that is special in colour and finesse. Cherry wood, for it is cherry wood, has a beauty and elegance all of its own, and is widely used for furniture and luxury items.

Our cherry is of the species Prunus avium, also known as wild cherry, European cherry, sweet cherry or bird cherry. The fact that birds eat its trunks gave it the name avium. It is a native Eurasian species, stretching from Britain to the Caucasus and Iran and from Norway to Morocco and Tunisia.

A very similar species is the black cherry or American cherry (Prunus serotina), which is found in North America and Australia. Both species are different from the Japanese cherry (Prunus serrulata), the symbol of Japan along with the chrysanthemum. It is grown as an ornamental tree and rarely fruits.

The tree reaches 10-20 m in height, sometimes even 25 m and a diameter of up to 0.6-0.7 m. In cross-section the cherry wood has a narrow, yellowish-white-pink sapwood zone and a light yellowish-reddish-brown heartwood zone.

These are the colours immediately after cutting, then they close. It has distinct annual rings, small, semi-spotted pores concentrated in the early wood area and fine medullary rays without mirrors.

The pores are small and slightly silvery. The texture is fine, with straight grain

or wavy.

In radial section it has greenish-pink or purplish stripes.

Wood, solid and hard, is used both as solid

as well as veneer.

It is easily machined and can be turned or carved. It is a fast-growing but expensive species due to its special natural colour. In the case of American cherry the reddish hue of the wood is more pronounced.

It has medium resistance to rotting and insect attack. When drying, it does not develop very high tensions, cracking is moderate.

As I said, the cherry changes colour after cutting, as soon as it comes into contact with the air. The change is quite rapid. Tests were made by covering some of the wood and leaving the rest under normal daylight. Within a week the change was very visible. Many consider this change in colour over time to be an added bonus, comparing it to wine ageing. The colour becomes deeper, more beautiful, more elegant over time.

Sometimes they show small areas of dark, almost black colour. This is a phenomenon specific to the cherry tree, and is even an element of its recognition. Specialists prefer this colouring, saying it is the cherry's fingerprint. They often try to replace it with cheaper species and it is recognised precisely because of these colourings.

Cherry is a very beautiful wood, but also very expensive. It is used to make furniture

and luxury items such as pens with gold nibs, watches,

jewelry boxes.

It is used on luxury cars and boats, for decorating the dashboard or interiors.

It lends itself very well to turning, thus obtaining bowls.

Because it is very beautiful, but also because it has resonance properties, it is used to make musical instruments, especially acoustic guitars.

Cherry wood also has a special use. It is used for smoking meat, especially in America, because it gives it a very pleasant, exotic taste and smell.

I hope I have succeeded in convincing you that cherry is an elegant wood. And if the photos didn't convince you, you'll have to take my word for it, because I've seen it both as a solid and as a veneer. It's beautifully coloured and silky, and when coated with varnish or oils, its texture is highlighted. Trust me, you'll love it when you see it.