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How can you tell the difference between hardwood and softwood when the tree is growing?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
The difference between softwood and hardwood can often be difficult to tell.
A common misconception is that a softwood is soft and hardwood is hard. This is not the case. For examply, Balsa wood can be extremely soft yet is a hardwood.
The actual difference is that the softwood comes from trees with thin leaves like pine needles and generally grow far quicker than most hardwoods. Hardwoods have broader leaves for example Oak and generally grow slower.
To distinguish between the two you need to know a little about wood as there is no set rule. Generally speaking, softwoods will have a wider grain pattern due to faster growth and hardwoods will have quite a close grain patter because of the slower growth.
This is similar to the size or crystals. The faster the growth, the bigger the cristals.
The actual hardness or density of the wood has little to do with the classification. - Generally if a tree is an angiosperm (bearing broad leaves and flowers) , then it's a hardwood.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoSoftwood comes from a coniferous tree. Cedar, Balsam, pine (although it get pretty hard)
Hardwood comes from a deciduous tree. Maple, Dogwood, Oak.
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Is there a pine that is hardwood?
Pine is considered a softwood. As a general rule conifers are softwood and deciduas trees are hardwood. This is not always the case but there are not many exceptions.
Hardwood or softwood which grows quicker?
Two of the quickest-growing trees are poplar and radiata pine, which both reach market size in about 10 years. Poplar is a hardwood (broadleaf) tree, radiata pine is a softwood (needle-leaf) tree. One of the slowest-growing trees is California redwood, which takes about 80 years to reach market size; it's a softwood.
Is Apple hardwood or softwood?
An "acorn tree" would be an oak, which is hardwood. Rule of thumb: conifers are softwood, everything else is hardwood. Note that these are just words and don't actually mean anything about the "hardness" of the wood itself. Balsa (which is very soft) is a "hardwood," yew (which is pretty hard) is a softwood.
Do softwood trees grow faster than hardwood trees?
Yes, softwood species are in general faster growing than hardwood species. Each year a tree can take a certain amount of light and raw material and turn this into wood. The more the volume of wood that is produced each growing season, the less dense and 'softer' the wood is.
Is an evergreen tree a hardwood or softwood?
Evergreen trees, particularly pines are considered softwoods. Their fast growing rate makes them less dense and 'softer' then deciduous trees.
Is the oldest tree in the world hardwood or softwood?
The terms coniferous and deciduous refer to trees, rather than particular kinds of forests. Forests described as coniferous or deciduous are those containing primarily those kinds of trees. Coniferous trees are trees which don't change over the seasons, like evergreens and other pine trees.
What is the fast growing tree and how fast does it grow?
Most of the fastest growing trees are softwood. They are able to expand faster then hardwood trees. Silver maples are the fastest growing trees that I know of in Minnesota. They grow roughly 3-4 feet a year. Growing heights may vary in different areas of the world.
What is made of softwood?
Softwood is just normal wood from a tree, but it's only wood from certain types of trees. All the pine and fir trees are softwood trees (conifers) and the leafy trees like oaks and maples (deciduous) are hardwood trees. The difference is literally that conifers produce a softer, more easily dented wood than deciduous.
Is rubberwood a hardwood or softwood?
Rubberwood is a hardwood. It is similar in characteristics to Maple and Ash. It has little tendency to warp or crack. It is cosidered eco-friendly, as it is only harvested after the Para rubber tree has completed it's lifetime growing cycle.
What are faster growing trees which produce a lighter timber?
softwood trees
Does softwood keep growing all the time?
Yes it grows quickly.
Are there any difference between lemon and lime while growing?
no
