Can wild cherry be used for firewood?

Wild cherry, also known as black cherry, is a common tree found throughout much of North America. Its scientific name is Prunus serotina. Wild cherry produces a hard, dense wood that can make excellent firewood under the right conditions. Here we’ll examine the key factors in determining if wild cherry is a good choice for your needs when it comes to firewood.

The Basics of Wild Cherry Firewood

Wild cherry firewood has a number of attributes that make it a good firewood choice:

• It has a dense grain and texture that allows it to burn slowly and produce a good bed of coals in a wood stove or fireplace.
• When properly seasoned, it has a moisture content of around 20%, which is ideal for clean burning firewood.
• The wood produces around 28 million BTUs per cord when burned.
• It gives off a pleasant cherry scent when burning.

In terms of aesthetics, wild cherry has a reddish-brown heartwood and a narrow band of creamy white sapwood. The heartwood will take on a rich, dark color as it seasons. Wild cherry firewood is generally easy to split, especially when the tree has been felled and bucked during the colder winter months.

How to Tell if Wild Cherry is Well Seasoned

Using properly seasoned wood is vital for clean burning firewood. Here’s what to look for with wild cherry:

• The bark should not be moist or tight on the wood. It should peel off easily.
• Well seasoned wild cherry will have check lines forming in the ends of the logs.
• Knocking two pieces together should produce a clear “knock” sound, not a “thud” sound if very wet.
• The core of a split piece should not feel damp or cool to the touch.
• Seasoned wild cherry will be lighter in weight having lost moisture content.
• You should not see any mushrooms or fungus growing on the wood.

Ideally, wild cherry should be seasoned for 9-12 months after being split and stacked in an open area exposed to sun and wind. Burning unseasoned wood leads to more smoke and creosote buildup in chimneys.

Heating Value of Wild Cherry

The heating value of firewood is measured in millions of BTUs (British Thermal Units) per cord. One BTU represents the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.

Here’s how the key stats for wild cherry firewood:

• Around 28 million BTUs per cord.
• 7,680 BTUs per pound.
• 56% of the BTU content of premium anthracite coal.

It has 86% of the heat energy density of oak firewood, one of the top fuels.

This makes wild cherry an above average firewood in terms of heating capability. It stacks up well against other common species like elm, ash, or maple. It has less heat potential than hickory or oak, but burns longer than softwoods like pine.

Cost Comparison

Wild cherry provides good economic value as firewood. Here’s how it compares to other common firewood types in terms of cost per million BTUs:

Firewood Type	Cost per Cord	Million BTUs per Cord	Price per Million BTUs
Wild Cherry	$200	28	$7.14
Oak	$300	32	$9.38
Ash	$175	24	$7.29
Maple	$185	26	$7.12
Pine	$165	18	$9.17

This shows wild cherry provides slightly better value than oak in terms of heat energy you get per dollar spent on firewood.

Burn Time

An important consideration for firewood is its burn time – how long it will provide heat once loaded in a wood stove or fireplace.

Here are burn time estimates for wild cherry:

• Cord of seasoned wild cherry = about 60-65 hours burn time
• Face cord (1/3 cord) = 20-22 hours
• Armload (1/8 cord) = about 8 hours

This gives it an above average burn time compared to other firewood choices. For example, a face cord of pine may provide as little as 6-8 hours of heat. The long burn time helps offset the slightly lower BTU content compared to premium hardwoods like hickory or oak.

Ease of Splitting

Another big consideration when choosing firewood is how easy or difficult it will be to split. In general, wild cherry is considered easy to very easy to split by hand.

Here are some reasons why it splits well:

• The wood is relatively straight grained, with no twisting that can frustrate splitting.
• It has thinner sapwood than many other hardwoods.
• The wood texture is uniform and free of knots in most cases.
• It can be effectively split immediately after felling or after partial seasoning.

About the only time wild cherry can be stubborn to split is if the tree was old growth with very gnarly, twisted grain patterns. Otherwise, it’s reputation as an easy wood to hand split is well deserved.

Wild Cherry for Smoking Meat

Wild cherry is a popular choice when selecting a firewood to use for smoking meat. Reasons it works well include:

• Imparts a mild, fruity smoke flavor.
• Burns cleanly at lower temperatures ideal for smoking.
• Minimal sap or resin means less chance of bitterness.
• Doesn’t overpower more delicate meats like fish or poultry.

Many pitmasters recommend using wild cherry or fruit woods along with a secondary fuel like hickory or mesquite when smoking. This balances the flavors nicely.

Sourcing Wild Cherry Firewood

Here are some tips for finding good sources of wild cherry firewood:

• Check listings on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace for individual sellers.
• Contact local tree removal services as they often sell or give away wood.
• Ask landscaping companies as wild cherry is often removed for land clearing.
• Place “wanted to buy” ads in local papers or online forums.
• Look for wild cherry in state or national forest logging operations.

It’s best to obtain wood directly from the source, so you know precisely what species it is. Purchasing pre-split firewood from third parties has more risk of being mislabeled or mixed with other woods.

Drying Time

Here are guidelines for how long you should season or dry wild cherry firewood:

• 6-9 months seasoning time if split into quarters and properly stacked.
• 12+ months for rounds or large unsplit chunks.
• Cover woodpiles with metal or a tarp to protect from rain and snow.
• Best drying occurs during the hot, dry summer months.
• Test moisture content with a moisture meter before burning.

Burning unseasoned wood leads to smoke, creosote, and inefficient fires. Patience pays off when it comes to giving wild cherry adequate time to dry out before using it.

Woodcutter Safety Tips

When felling and processing wild cherry, keep these safety tips in mind:

• Use protective gear like chainsaw chaps, gloves, and steel-toe boots.
• Evaluate lean and limb structure before making cuts.
• Establish escape paths and clear away brush.
• Make gradual angled cuts to control tree fall.
• Watch for springpole and widowmaker dangers.
• Keep saw chain sharp and maintain proper chain tension.

Cutting firewood involves significant risks, including kickback injuries and being struck by falling limbs or trees. Proper training and vigilance are required to do it safely.

Environmental Impact

In sustainable forestry, utilizing firewood like wild cherry helps reduce waste and make full use of natural resources. However, be mindful of these considerations:

• Avoid cutting down live, healthy trees that are still adding canopy cover.
• Focus harvesting efforts on dead, dying, or diseased specimens.
• Replant cleared areas if possible to support regrowth.
• Follow best practices to prevent soil erosion.

With care, collecting wild cherry for firewood can be done in an eco-friendly manner that supports a healthy forest ecosystem.

Conclusion

Wild cherry is an excellent firewood species that tends to be under-utilized. It provides great heating value on par with premium hardwoods like oak while being easier to source and split. The flavor when burning or smoking is pleasant without being overpowering. With adequate drying time, wild cherry is a smart choice that outperforms many other commonly used firewood types. Its characteristics make it a worthwhile addition to your woodpile.