Large cherry tree branch made a lot of firewood

September of '24 my buddy called me and said a big wild (black) cherry branch fell on his property. He asked if I wanted the wood. Of course I do, I'll be over in a couple hours. Rounds were 16" in diameter! Made just shy of 2 face cords. Dried quickly for being mostly in the shade. It was top covered before the bad weather hit. I burned it all in Oct-Dec of '25. Decent middle of the road firewood.

 

dang, that's big limb. I'd like to see a of the tree. That's some good smelling wood.

 

That's exactly what I was going to say, must be a huge cherry tree! I've never seen one that big, they just don't grow that big here, don't know why. Seem to be very much an understory tree and everything else out-competes them. That is beautiful wood and a beautiful stack!

Looks like PBR beer. A friend of a friend is from Wisconsin and he used to come down every year for hunting and he'd bring extra Wisconsin beer. I seem to recall Blatz as a brand.

 

I can't find any pictures of the tree. I can take one next time I'm over there. He has a few big cherry trees like that on his property. They are all dying, I help him clean up the mess and I get the wood.
Yes that is PBR, good eyes Yawner.

 

Good sized limb for sure. Made some nice firewood.

I like cherry for my bundle wood sales. Seasons fast and not heavy when dried. One of my best sellers for smoker wood too. Need to find some to replenish inventory.

 

Do you know why they are dying? Is it just old age or any idea? I am continually reminded on my woodlot how trees def have a lifespan! It's a bummer to realize that the large oaks that I admire, I have come to realize that next year, it's likely to be dead from whatever, or blown down by wind. I've lost my biggest several trees in the past ten years. Actually, it's pretty profound... makes a landowner realize that if profit is a motive regarding your timber, harvesting trees sooner rather than later has some validity. But profit is not my main concern on my tract. I can't bring one of the monsters down while healthy, I just harvest them once they die or are blown down. If I can get to them.

 

This was the biggest cherry I've ever cut.
BIG Cherry

 

That is big. And you mentioned/showed one that was 42"? Crazy big. That had to be a very old tree!

 

That sure is one big cherry tree Brad!

 

I found a couple pictures of the tree and my loaded '97 F350. My echo 590 was wearing a new 24" bar and chain. I noticed the chain loosened up a little after I was done. Don't worry I put the saw in the cab for the ride home.

 

I don't know why they are dying. The trunks seem to start rotting by the ground.

 

Based on the connection of the limb to the trunk, it looks like the trunk is hollow already either up to or down to the limb joint. That is a massive cherry tree for my neck of the woods. Of course I see a bunch of pen blanks and bowl blanks!!

 

Not really hollow, but the center was a tad soft. The whole limb was very solid. I don't have a lathe, but I did make my wife a cutting board from another cherry on this property. I have a few more small slabs saved and a lot of wood chips for the smoker!

 

That’s a big azz cherry tree! Around here 12” is big.

 

Seems like 9 times outta 10 cherry trees have ants in them...

 

That's a pretty big wound for that tree for which it will likely never recover, rot, become structurally unsound and fall down.
Logically, the rest of the tree should be turned into firewood sometime before its demise and possible use for firewood unlikely.

Maybe they get stump rot like too many of the red oaks do around here. Carpenter ants like the softening heartwood. Once they find a way in (like a broken branch) they'll colonize all the rotting heartwood. They'll colonize rotting softening sapwood too on a dead standing tree.

 

The farm I worked on in high school had a truck almost exactly like that one. Brings back memories.

Yours looks clean and cancer free, especially for MI.

 

Great firewood. You got some big Cherry trees there!