How rot resistant is cherry wood?

[littlebiglane]

I am cutting a pole/post which will sit in the ground. I only have a choice of cherry, ash or sycamore - is cherry the most rot resistant of the three?

 

[robin wood]

I am cutting a pole/post which will sit in the ground. I only have a choice of cherry, ash or sycamore - is cherry the most rot resistant of the three?

Short answer is not very but of the three I would say cherry heartwood would last slightly longer than ash but sapwood like sycamore would go pretty quickly.

I would use the ash if it's a decent size (over 4" it should do 5-10 years depending on your soil conditions, longer if you scorched it or treated it in the area that is 6" above and 6" below ground level, that is where all the rot occurs.

 

[Kerne]

Short answer is not very but of the three I would say cherry heartwood would last slightly longer than ash but sapwood like sycamore would go pretty quickly.

I second that but would add that cherry is such a lovely wood that using it as a post may not be getting the best out of it.

 

[Peter_t]

sweet chestnut is your best if it will be in the ground for any period of time. most other will rot fairly quickly.

pete