Black Cherry Firewood — BTU Rating, Burn Quality & Tips

Prunus serotina

BTU per Cord

20,400,000

Density

2,880 lbs/cord

Category

hardwood

Split Difficulty

easy

Spark Rating

low

Smoke Rating

low

Coaling Quality

good

Seasoning Time

6 months

Availability

common

Pleasant, mildly sweet aroma when burning. Easy to split and seasons quickly. Moderate heat output with good coaling. A solid shoulder-season firewood that mixes well with denser hardwoods for overnight burns.

Pros

  • +good coaling for long burns
  • +Easy to split
  • +Low spark risk — safe for open fireplaces
  • +Low smoke production
  • +Seasons relatively quickly (6 months)
  • +Widely available

Best Uses for Black Cherry

Open Fireplace

Excellent — low spark risk

Wood Stove

Good choice

Campfire

Good — mix with softwood kindling for easy starts

Smoking/Cooking

Popular choice for smoking meats

Seasoning Black Cherry

Black Cherry requires approximately 6 months of seasoning to reach the ideal moisture content of 20% or below. Split wood to 3-6 inch pieces and stack with good airflow. Keep the top covered but leave sides open to air. Store off the ground on pallets or rails.

Compare With Similar Species

Paper Birch

20,300,000 BTU/cord · fair coaling

American Elm

20,000,000 BTU/cord · fair coaling

Hackberry

20,800,000 BTU/cord · good coaling

Sycamore

19,500,000 BTU/cord · fair coaling

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Last updated: December 2024