Cherry trees offer two rewards from one planting: fragrant spring blossoms and, by late spring and early summer, a crop of fruit. Growing them from seed costs far less than buying a nursery tree, and the process is more forgiving than many gardeners expect. The pit inside each cherry is the seed, and with the right preparation it germinates into a tree that can live for decades. The wood from that tree has a similarly long life in another form. Once a trunk reaches sawlog size, it becomes lumber, and the types of cherry wood used for flooring, cabinets, and furniture are among the most valued hardwoods a builder can specify.
Two propagation routes work well for home growers: prepare and plant seeds in the spring, or direct sow them in the fall and let winter supply the cold treatment naturally. Each method follows a different timeline, but both produce healthy trees. The sections below cover germination, planting, growth rates, and what happens after a tree matures, including how cherry lumber compares with the other hardwoods commonly chosen for building projects.
From Seedling to Sawlog: How Cherry Trees Develop
A cherry seed needs a cold, moist period before it will sprout. In nature, the seed falls in summer, lies through winter, and germinates the following spring. Gardeners recreate that sequence indoors with a process called stratification, which pushes the seed through the same dormancy cycle on a controlled schedule.
Preparing Cherry Seeds for Germination
- Remove every bit of fruit flesh from the pits and rinse them well.
- Let the cleaned pits dry for a day or two on a paper towel.
- Mix the pits with damp peat moss or sand and seal them in a labeled bag.
- Refrigerate the bag at 34 to 41 degrees F for 90 to 120 days.
- Plant the stratified pits about 1 inch deep in spring, after the last frost.
- Keep the soil evenly moist and wait for shoots, which can take several weeks to appear.
Germination is not uniform, and a seed-grown tree is a gamble in another way: it will not be identical to its parent. Most orchard varieties are grafted onto rootstock so the fruit stays true, while a tree raised from a pit produces a new genetic combination with its own flavor and vigor.
Growth Rates and the Road to Lumber
Young seedlings grow slowly for the first two or three years while roots establish, then pick up to 1 to 2 feet per year in good soil. A grafted orchard tree may bear fruit in 3 to 5 years; a seed-grown tree often takes 7 to 10 years or longer. Trunks large enough for lumber need 30 to 50 years, which is why most cherry lumber comes from managed timber rather than backyard trees. When a project calls for a hardwood floor or a run of cabinets, comparing beech versus cherry wood is a useful starting point, because the two species sit close in price but differ in grain and hardness.
Planting Cherry Trees in Spring and Fall
The spring method uses seeds that have already been stratified. The fall method skips the refrigerator entirely: plant cleaned pits directly in the garden in autumn, about 1 inch deep, and winter temperatures provide the cold period naturally. Mark the spot well, because nothing visible happens until the next spring.
Choosing Between Spring Sowing and Fall Direct Sowing
- Spring sowing gives more control over moisture and pest pressure, but it requires refrigerator space and a 3 to 4 month lead time.
- Fall direct sowing needs no equipment and uses natural chill hours, but seeds can be dug up by rodents or rot in wet soil.
- The container method stratifies seeds first, then starts them in pots under cover and transplants after the last frost.
Site Selection and Soil Preparation
Cherries want full sun, well-drained soil, and a pH between 6.0 and 7.5. Space trees 15 to 25 feet apart depending on the variety and rootstock. Sweet cherries need a set number of winter chill hours to set fruit, so match the variety to your climate before planting.
Ornamental cherries deserve the same care. For gardeners drawn to the cascading form, the Japanese weeping cherry tree care routine centers on pruning, watering during dry spells, and protecting the graft union, all of which differ from orchard management.
Cherry Wood Properties That Builders Rely On
Black cherry, the species behind most cherry lumber, starts as pale pink sapwood around a light brown heartwood. Within a year or two of exposure to light, the heartwood darkens to a rich reddish brown, a change that is normal and happens fastest in bright rooms. The color shift means finishes should be tested on scrap before committing to a whole project.
Hardness, Grain, and Stability
- Janka hardness near 950 lbf, softer than oak but hard enough for furniture and cabinetry.
- Fine, straight grain with occasional wavy figure that polishes to a high sheen.
- Low shrinkage ratings, roughly 3.7 percent radial and 7.1 percent tangential, for good dimensional stability.
- Density around 30 to 32 pounds per cubic foot at 12 percent moisture content.
Machining Notes
Cherry machines cleanly, cuts smoothly, and holds screws well. It can scorch under dull router bits, and some finishes cause blotchy color, so a sanding sealer before staining is standard practice in finishing shops.
For heavy-traffic floors and kitchen cabinets, builders often weigh maple versus cherry wood before choosing, because the two species deliver different hardness and color responses to the same finish.
Cherry vs. Poplar: Cost and Performance
Poplar is the budget workhorse of interior millwork: inexpensive, easy to machine, and a favorite for painted trim and cabinet boxes. Cherry costs more, stains beautifully, and darkens with age. The choice depends on whether the piece will be painted or left natural.
| Wood | Janka hardness (lbf) | Typical price per board foot | Color | Best uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry | 950 | $6 to $10 | Reddish brown, darkens with age | Furniture, cabinets, flooring |
| Poplar | 540 | $3 to $5 | Pale green to brown | Painted trim, cabinet boxes |
| Maple | 1450 | $5 to $9 | Creamy white | Flooring, butcher block |
| Beech | 1300 | $5 to $8 | Pale straw | Bent parts, furniture frames |
| Walnut | 1010 | $10 to $15 | Rich chocolate brown | Fine furniture, gunstocks |
When Poplar Is the Right Call
Poplar earns its place under paint. It is soft enough to dent, so it suits trim and hidden structure better than stair treads or work surfaces. The cherry versus poplar tradeoff usually comes down to finish: if the piece is painted, poplar saves money; if it is clear-coated, cherry wins.
Budgeting for a Project
Estimate lumber cost by measuring every board, adding 15 to 20 percent for waste and defects, then multiplying by the per-board-foot price. A medium dresser can easily consume 40 to 60 board feet of cherry.
Sourcing Cherry Lumber and Understanding Grades
Cherry is sold in the same grades as other hardwoods. FAS, short for First and Second, yields long, clear boards for visible work. Select offers a middle ground, and Number 1 Common is cheaper but carries more knots and defects. Grade and yield matter more than the price per board foot alone.
How to Calculate Board Feet
Multiply thickness in inches by width in inches by length in feet, then divide by 12. A board 1 inch thick, 8 inches wide, and 8 feet long equals 5.3 board feet.
Most hardwood dealers sell cherry by the board foot in random widths and lengths. Surfaced four sides, the wood arrives ready for joinery, while rough lumber runs cheaper and lets a shop plane to its own thicknesses. Buying from a local sawyer can cut the price in half when a tree comes down nearby, though moisture content and grade still need checking before purchase.
Buy from a mill that kiln-dries to 6 to 8 percent moisture content so the wood stays stable indoors. Comparing birch and cherry wood at the lumber rack shows how grain pattern and weight differ even when the two species are priced similarly.
Finishing Cherry Wood for Decades of Service
Cherry finishes beautifully with oil-based polyurethane, shellac, or a simple wax over sealer. The darkening that occurs with UV exposure is part of the material’s appeal, but it also means a newly refinished piece will not match the tone of older wood in the same room.
A Finish Schedule That Works
- Sand through 180 grit, then 220 grit, and remove all dust.
- Apply a sanding sealer to prevent blotching.
- Build two or three thin coats of finish, sanding lightly between coats.
- Let the piece cure fully before regular use.
For a final decision between two premium hardwoods, the cherry versus walnut comparison usually turns on color temperature: cherry warms toward red, while walnut stays brown and dark. Both age gracefully, and either one gives a seed-grown tree a second life indoors.