Telling The Difference Between Hardwood And Softwood

Softwood is typically less expensive compared to hardwood.

Telling the difference between hardwood and softwood.

In contrast trees with seeds that are not enclosed are softwood. Informally trees categorized as hardwoods are usually deciduous meaning they lose their leaves in the autumn. How to tell the difference between hardwood and softwood the general rule for distinguishing whether a wood is hardwood or softwood is to use the fingernail test. More specifically the type of seeds produced by a tree determines whether it is hardwood or softwood.

Softwoods are conifers which have needles rather than traditional leaves and retain them through the winter. Hardwood is typically more expensive than softwood. These coatings can either take the shape of a fruit or a shell. If your landscape consists primarily of softwood trees you won t have to worry about leaves blanketing your lawn and restricting your grass of sunlight.

A wood will be classified as a hardwood if the seeds that the tree produces have a coating. With this test you press your fingernail against a piece of wood or scratch it along the wood in a direction parallel to the edge of your fingernail. Hardwood has a slower growth rate. Hardwoods shed their leaves over a period of time in autumn and winter.

The primary difference between hardwood and softwood trees in a landscape is that hardwoods shed their leaves once a year whereas softwood trees retain their leaves throughout the year. Trees with seeds that are enclosed such as within a shell or fruit are categorized as hardwood. A wood will be classified as a softwood if the seeds don t have any type of coating and are instead dropped to the ground and left to the elements. In reality the technical distinction has to do with the reproductive biology of the species.