Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), also called yellow-poplar, tuliptree, tulip-poplar, and white-poplar, is an attractive and fast-growing, tall eastern hardwood. Poplar grows throughout the eastern United States from Florida and Louisiana in the south to New England and Michigan in the north. It reaches its largest size and is most abundant in the Ohio River valley and surrounding area.
For generations, the monks of Saint Meinrad have used poplar wood for the construction of simple monastic caskets. Both the Monastic and Traditional models of Abbey Caskets are available in poplar wood, in natural and cherry stained finishes. Abbey urns are available in poplar with a cherry stained finish.
The poplar tree grows up to 120 feet tall and its straight trunk may be up to three feet in diameter. Beautiful large tulip-shaped flowers blossom in April and May on the tips of twigs high up in the trees. The leaves are large, bright green and tulip shaped. The outer wood is white, sometimes with stripes. The heartwood is usually tan and can range from brown, to dark green, purple or even black. The wood selected for use in Abbey Caskets and urns has been carefully color matched for consistency. The wood is straight grained, uniform in texture and moderate to light weight.
The wood is versatile with many uses. It is used in furniture as well as in construction. It is used for unexposed furniture parts, interior panels of plywood and pulpwood, as well as for high-quality exposed trim and cabinets.
With its shiny green leaves, distinctive flower and statuesque appearance, it is an excellent ornamental tree in parks and large lawns where there is adequate space to accommodate its large size. Because of its height and relative fast growth rate, poplar produces a high yield of wood per acre. The flowers of poplar trees are a major source of nectar for honey.
Black cherry (Prunus serotina), also called wild cherry, rum cherry and mountain black cherry, is the largest of the native cherry trees in North America. It is found throughout the Eastern United States.
Abbey Caskets and urns are made of native black cherry in natural and cherry stained finishes. Cherry wood tends to come in a variety of reddish brown colors, some wood gray, straw or amber colored. The wood selected for use in Abbey Caskets and urns has been carefully color matched for consistency.
Black cherry trees are quick growing in the seedling, sapling and pole stages. They tend to grow more rapidly than other species and become the dominant species in the regrowth of a clear-cut area.
Black cherry wood is used in furniture, cabinet making and household trim. High quality logs are cut for veneer. The wood is medium density with closed pores and a tight grain. The beautiful reddish brown color darkens to a rich russet brown with age.
The small cherry fruit is an important food source for birds and forest animals. Deer forage on black cherry saplings. The fruit is used as flavoring in beverages.
Black walnut (Juglans nigra), also called eastern black walnut and American walnut, is prized for its beautiful wood and distinctive-tasting nuts. Walnut trees are found throughout most of the central and eastern states.
Abbey Caskets and urns are made of black walnut and finished with a low-gloss clear coating to show the beauty of the wood. The wood is fine-grained, chocolate brown and relatively lightweight. It is unquestionably among the world’s most beautiful woods and is considered the ultimate choice for making solid wood furniture, interior trim, gunstocks and high-quality veneer. It is the darkest natural species in North America.
Mature black walnut trees may be 100-120 feet tall and three to four feet in diameter, although such old trees are rare. It is one of the first trees to lose it leaves in autumn. The long leaves are compound with 11 to 23 leaflets.
The nuts of black walnut serve multiple purposes. The kernels provide food for wildlife and humans. Ground shells are used as an abrasive for aircraft and automobile manufacturing and maintenance, as well as other industrial uses.
Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra), is also known as common red oak, eastern red oak, mountain red oak and grey oak. It is found in a widespread area of the Eastern and Midwest states. It is a moderate to fast-growing tree and is one of the most important lumber species. Red oaks are popular shade trees with good form and dense foliage.
Abbey Caskets and urns use red oak in a natural finish to best display the beautiful honey color of the wood. Red oak wood is used in flooring, cabinetmaking, furniture making, household trim, and many other applications where strength, durability and quality are reruired.
One of the fastest growing of the many oak species found in North America, it attains a height of 80 feet and a diameter of two to three feet. It has a wide, spreading head with few far-reaching branches. It can be found growing over southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States, and it reaches west to central Minnesota, and south to southern Georgia.
The fruit of a red oak tree is a large, rounded acorn with a very shallow saucer-shaped cap. These acorns are an important food source for a wide range of wild animals.
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