American Cherry
Scientific Name: Prunus serotina
Overview
American Cherry is one of the most valued hardwoods in North America, prized for its warm color, smooth texture, and excellent workability. Native to the eastern United States, it has long been used in fine furniture and cabinetry.
Cherry is especially known for its natural aging process, darkening from a light pinkish brown to a rich reddish-brown with exposure to light.
Watch Video Overview
Watch a visual overview of American Cherry including grain patterns, color variation, working characteristics, and common woodworking uses.
Jump directly to the video section below to see this species in greater detail.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: American Cherry
- Scientific Name: Prunus serotina
- Region: North American Hardwoods (Eastern United States)
- Tree Size: 50–100 ft tall, 2–3 ft trunk diameter
- Average Dried Weight: 35 lbs/ft³ (560 kg/m³)
- Janka Hardness: 950 lbf
- Color: Light pinkish brown when freshly cut, darkening to rich reddish brown with age
- Grain: Straight, sometimes wavy
- Texture: Fine and smooth
Identification Characteristics
American Cherry is best identified by its warm reddish tones and fine, smooth texture. Freshly cut wood appears lighter and deepens in color over time with exposure to light.
The grain is usually straight but may occasionally display subtle figure. End grain reveals small, evenly distributed pores consistent with diffuse-porous species.
Key identification traits include:
- Pinkish brown when fresh
- Darkens naturally with age
- Fine, smooth texture
- Small, evenly spaced pores
Working Properties
Cherry is widely regarded as one of the easiest North American hardwoods to work.
- Machines easily
- Turns and carves well
- Sands to a very smooth surface
- Glues reliably
- Can blotch when stained
Its stability makes it suitable for fine cabinetry and detailed millwork.
Safety Note
American Cherry has low reported toxicity, though dust may cause mild irritation in sensitive individuals. Standard dust protection is recommended.
Common Uses
American Cherry is commonly used in:
- Fine furniture
- Cabinetry
- Interior trim
- Turned objects
- Veneer
- Architectural millwork
- Musical instruments
Sustainability & Notes
American Cherry is widely available and sustainably harvested throughout its native range. It remains a premium domestic hardwood, though generally more expensive than Red Oak or Hard Maple.
Its natural darkening process is considered a desirable characteristic in high-end woodworking.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
European Cherry – A closely related species with similar warm reddish-brown color and fine grain, commonly used in furniture and decorative woodworking.
Black Walnut – Another prized North American hardwood used in fine furniture, though typically darker with a richer brown tone.
Hard Maple – A lighter-colored hardwood known for its strength and durability, often used in cabinetry and flooring.
Related Guides
Best Woods for Furniture Making
Explore the top wood species used in furniture making, based on strength, stability, workability, and overall appearance.
Walnut vs. Cherry – Compare walnut and cherry side by side, including color, aging characteristics, hardness, workability, grain patterns, durability, and their most popular furniture and cabinetry applications.
Understanding Wood Shrinkage Values – Learn how radial, tangential, and volumetric shrinkage affect wood movement, dimensional stability, and long-term performance in furniture, flooring, cabinetry, and woodworking projects.
Compare Wood Properties
See how this species ranks in density and hardness using our Wood Density & Janka Hardness Chart. You can also explore Hardest Woods, Softest Woods, and Most Dense Woods for quick comparisons.
Collector Notes
Cherry boards with strong color uniformity are highly valued. Figured material such as curly Cherry or gum pockets may increase interest among collectors.
Because Cherry darkens with light exposure, collectors often consider how boards will age when planning projects.
Video Overview
Learn Through Video
Watch a visual overview of American Cherry, including its rich red color, smooth texture, and common woodworking uses.
Share Your Photos of This Species
Do you have lumber, wood samples, tree photographs, woodworking projects, furniture, carvings, turnings, musical instruments, or other items made from this species?
Exotic Woods of the World welcomes photographs from woodworkers, collectors, sawyers, researchers, and wood enthusiasts around the world. Selected submissions may be featured on this page and throughout our website to help document and showcase real-world examples of this species.
When submitting photos, please include the common name, scientific name (if known), a brief description, and any information you would like us to share with the image.
Wood Sample Collection
This species is part of an ongoing effort to document and preserve wood samples from around the world.
Learn more about contributing to the collection:
Resources
Authoritative botanical and forestry references used in compiling information about this species include:
• USDA Forest Service – Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material
https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/products/publications/
• The Wood Database – Global reference for wood identification, physical properties, and woodworking characteristics
https://www.wood-database.com/
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Plants of the World Online – Botanical taxonomy and species distribution database
https://powo.science.kew.org/
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List) – Global conservation status assessments
https://www.iucnredlist.org/
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) – International trade regulations for protected plant species
https://cites.org/
Additional forestry publications, academic research papers, and regional timber studies may also be referenced where available.
Support Forest Conservation
This species is part of the growing Exotic Woods of the World reference archive.
In the future, visitors will be able to support the preservation of hardwood knowledge and global forest conservation through the Adopt a Species program.
A portion of contributions will help fund the continued expansion of this archive, while the majority will be donated to forest conservation organizations working to protect the ecosystems where these species grow.
Availability & Where to Buy
Exotic hardwood availability can vary significantly depending on region, sustainability regulations, and supplier inventory.
As this archive grows, recommended suppliers and specialty wood retailers will be listed here to help woodworkers locate responsibly sourced material.
Lumber Suppliers:
Availability varies — see the Where to Buy Exotic Woods page for current sources.
Related Tools & Products:
• RUITOOL Japanese Double Edge Ryoba Pull Saw for precise flush cuts, joinery, and detailed woodworking
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• 800W Compact Wood Router Tool Kit with 15-Piece Router Bit Set for trimming, edge work, and shaping wood surfaces
https://amzn.to/498gKP4
• IRWIN Quick-Grip One-Handed Mini Bar Clamps for holding woodworking pieces securely during assembly and glue-ups
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