Telling The Difference Between Hardwood And Softwood

The primary distinction between hardwood and softwood is based on the reproductive biology of the tree species.

Telling the difference between hardwood and softwood.

Softwood is typically less expensive compared to hardwood. In reality the technical distinction has to do with the reproductive biology of the species. A wood will be classified as a hardwood if the seeds that the tree produces have a coating. 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.

Hardwood has a slower growth rate. 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. Softwoods are conifers which have needles rather than traditional leaves and retain them through the winter. Trees with seeds that are enclosed such as within a shell or fruit are categorized as hardwood.

Informally trees categorized as hardwoods are usually deciduous meaning they lose their leaves in the autumn. 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. 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. 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.

In contrast trees with seeds that are not enclosed are softwood. Hardwood is typically more expensive than softwood. Softwoods tend to keep their needles throughout the year. Softwood has a faster rate of growth.