Balsa Tree Hardwood

Hardwood trees are angiosperms mostly decidous in the northern hemisphere but evergreens in the southern hemisphere while softwoods are conifers.

Balsa tree hardwood.

It is the softest commercial hardwood. This might be a fruit such as an apple or a hard shell such as an acorn. All trees reproduce by producing seeds but the seed structure varies. The name balsa comes from the spanish word for raft.

The trees are harvested after six to 10 years of growth. The distinction between hardwood and softwood actually has to do with plant reproduction. For example balsa wood is one of the lightest least dense woods there is and it s considered a hardwood. Trees are classified as hardwood because of the shape of their leaves so balsa with its large broad leaves is classified as hardwood despite being very soft.

Being a deciduous angiosperm balsa is classified as a hardwood despite the wood itself being very soft. It is the softest commercial hardwood. The terms hardwood and softwood don t relate to the weight or density of the wood but to the tree type. There are many more types of hardwood trees than there are softwood.

Broad leafed flowering trees are hardwoods. The trees are harvested after six to 10 years of growth. Balsa lumber is very soft and light with a coarse open grain. See wikipedia for more information about balsa.

Although the wood of a balsa tree is soft balsa is a hardwood. The balsa wood has a solid volume that only consists of 40 of the entire tree. The green balsa wood is the one that contains five times more water by weight than the actual wood substance.