Are Maple Trees Hardwood

Acer ˈ eɪ s ər is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples the genus is placed in the family sapindaceae.

Are maple trees hardwood.

The sugar maple tree or acer saccharum is classified as a hard hardwood maple tree. Examples of softwood trees are cedar douglas fir juniper pine redwood spruce and yew. The texture and density of the wood a tree produces puts it in either the hardwood or softwood category. Sugar maple and black maple are hard.

Most hardwoods have a higher density than most softwoods. Most softwoods have a lower density than most hardwoods. Taking the hardness data within context of other hardwoods soft maple may be used as a valid substitute for hard maple in most situations where a hardwood of moderate density is called for. The type species of the genus is the sycamore maple.

The silver maple tree acer saccharinum is one the most common trees of north america it generally grows 50 to 80 feet tall though a 10 year old sapling will stand approximately 25 feet tall. There are approximately 128 species most of which are native to asia with a number also appearing in europe northern africa and north america only one species acer laurinum extends to the southern hemisphere. The wood is strong stiff and shock resistant. Softwood comes from a conifer cone bearing or evergreen trees such as pine or spruce.

The most common hard maple is the sugar or rock maple. Sugar maple s leaves pictured below are the shape that most people associate with maple leaves. Examples of hardwood trees include alder balsa beech hickory mahogany maple oak teak and walnut. Hard maple is a workable wood resistant to abrasion with a uniform texture and fine grain.

Also note that black maple not pictured isn t quite as hard as its close relative hard maple and ranks in the mid range with a hardness of 1 180 lb f. The wood of the sugar maple is strong heavy and hard with a light brown to reddish color. Most hardwood trees are deciduous trees which lose their leaves annually like elm or maple. The maple tree is a member of a group of 200 species of trees and shrubs worldwide that belong to the acer family.

Maple trees are classified as either hard or soft. Acer saccharum the sugar maple or rock maple is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family sapindaceae it is native to the hardwood forests of eastern canada from nova scotia west through southern quebec central and southern ontario to southeastern manitoba around lake of the woods and the northern parts of the central and northeastern united states from minnesota. While it can be an excellent tree for landscaping it also presents some undesirable characteristics. In tree form hard maple is usually referred to as sugar maple and is the tree most often tapped for maple syrup.

All maples are hardwoods but the species found in america are further classified as hard or soft maples.