Like all fruit trees, cherry belongs to the rose family. American Colonists used the cherry tree for its fruit, medicinal properties and home furnishings. They mixed cherry juice with rum to create Cherry Bounce, a bitter but highly favored cordial. The bark was used in the production of drugs to treat bronchitis, and cherry stalks were used to make tonics. Cherry is a smooth, even-grained hardwood known for its warm, rich look. Cherry 'mellows' or darkens with age. Exposure to bright or direct sunlight will cause the wood to darken and redden significantly. Cherry will have some sapwood, mineral streaking, fine pin holes and pitch pockets. The heartwood of cherry varies from rich red to reddish brown and will darken with age and on exposure to light. In contrast, the sapwood is creamy white. The wood has a fine uniform, straight grain, satiny, smooth texture, and may naturally contain brown pith flecks and small gum pockets.