Wood ID Help - Sweet Cherry?

[Longstreet]

I have been taking advantage of the development of around 20 acres three houses down from mine. They are stacking all the best wood, but have told me it's ok to take any of the stuff in the brush piles. Mostly tops and such, but some really nice wood given it's so close. Lots of black cherry and red oak, with a little beech mixed in.

I was driving by an area I had not scouted before and spotted a small sized tree pushed to the side. Perfect size for a quick pickup after work. I thought it was black cherry before I got out of my truck. When I walked up to it, I saw there were none of the flakes on the mature wood that scream black cherry. I'm now thinking it's Prunus avium??? Can anyone confirm that? I don't have any experience with sweet cherry, so any advice on of this stuff is burnable would be great.

Edit: I should have mentioned that the wood is very light. Splits easy and straight as well.

 

[begreen]

Looks like it may be. If so, very good hardwood. Plan on seasoning for a couple years.

 

[Longstreet]

Thanks, that's interesting to hear. I left some behind after feeling how light it was, figuring it wasn't worth my effort. I may go back tomorrow and pick the rest up.

I always thought we were border-line for cherry, but I believe that may only have had to do with the tree setting fruit correctly. I've never heard of anyone growing one this far south.

 

[Richie]

looks like sweet cherry bark but the heartwood does not. The heartwood looks like black cherry.

 

[Richie]

I mean the heartwood should look like black cherry

 

[TreePointer]

Leaves and bark are wrong for black cherry.

Prunus avium wood looks very similar to black cherry, but the wood in those rounds doesn't look like either.

It possibly could be an ornamental cherry from some landscaping. Many are grafted, so the leaves won't necessarily match the rest of the tree below the graft, which usually is a sweet cherry.

 

[weatherguy]

Looks like black birch to me

 

[BEConklin]

The way the leaves grow in clusters on the twigs rules birch out I'd say. Some kind of cherry is my guess..but which, I dunno.

 

[Applesister]

I think cherry sets fruit before the leaves are fully out.
I would have to agree on the ornamental cherry possibility.

 

[PA. Woodsman]

Here in PA. we call that Pin Cherry...not great but not bad either.

 

[splitoak]

Pin cherry..

 

[Applesister]

I thought it was Pin Cherry too till I saw the leaves. The leaves are too wide for any of the wild cherries.
Also Pin cherry sets fruit, the limb would have signs of fruit development.
Fruitless cherries...or blossom cherries are more likely.
Who knows.

 

[fbelec]

looks like the tree in my back yard. it produces a very small pea size cherry that is basically all stone up here we call it choke cherry