Hardwood

, a tropical hardwood.]]**Hardwood** is wood from dicotyledous trees and shrubs. That is, hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees and shrubs that are not monocots (palm trees are monocots). 

The term "hardwood" is  to "softwood"; softwood comes from conifer trees. Other than its name suggests, hardwoods are not always harder than softwoods. A hardwood may be harder than a softwood, equally hard, or softer. Balsa wood is an example of a very soft hardwood. There are about a hundred as many species of trees and shrubs that yield hardwood than there are species of trees that yield softwood. And these grow in a wider range of climates, influencing wood formation. So, it stands to reason that hardwoods are more varied than softwoods.

The heartwoods of many hardwoods are a shade of brown, but almost all other colors occur, especially in tropical hardwoods. There are hardwoods that are ivory-colored, yellow, green, red, purple and anything in between.  

s are strongly lignified: lignin is a hard material used to support plants above the surface. The quantity of lignin is probably the main factor in their hardness.

Most hardwoods transport water by vessels, which are composed of cells that are connected by (relatively) large openings, making for a tube. Softwoods transport water by cells called tracheids, which do not make up such tubes.

Hardwoods can be used for many purposes, depending on their physical and chemical properties. Hardwoods are used to build ships, boats, buildings, furniture, floors, stairs. Some hardwoods are excellent for carving. 

## Various colors 

Couratari guianensis MHNT.BOT.2010.6.33.jpg|Light-colored
Montrouzeria cauliflora MHNT.BOT.2010.6.62.jpg|Yellowish
Fluweelboom.jpg|Greenish
9512b-Tabebuia cf. cassinoides (Caixeta).jpg|Greenish
Кемпас - массивная доска.jpg|Reddish
A --bonsai-- stand made from African Padauk wood 2013-06-02 13-19.jpg|Red
Amaranth 2.jpg|Purple
Goudenregen hout.jpg|Brown
CocusWd.jpg|Dark brown
Grenadil-African Blackwood.jpg|Almost pure black
EbonyWhiteOak.JPG|Pure black and near white
Zebrano01.jpg|Striped
Bahia01.jpg|Striped
BulnesiaSarmientoi wood01.jpg|Striped
Wengefurn.jpg|Striped
MarbleWd.jpg|Figured
Olive-wood-364426.jpg|Figured
Dalbergia Retusa.jpg|Figured
Ziricote Cordia dodecandra 2.jpg|Figured

## Temperate hardwoods of the Northern Hemisphere 
Common temperate trees found in the USA and Europe, that supply hardwood.

Other areas of the world have other trees supplying hardwood. This is not a complete list of all hardwood trees.

## Uses of hardwood 
Hardwoods can be used for many purposes, depending on their physical and chemical properties. But many things once made of hardwood are now made of ceramics, plastic or softwood. In most cases high-quality hardwoods are supplied by trees that have had ample time to grow. When grown in plantations trees often do not get that time: plantations tend to be most profitable if trees can be harvested quickly. The destruction of tropical and temperate forests has made high-quality hardwood expensive and scarce. 

For items that get used a lot, high-density hardwoods will be more resistant to wear and will last longer than softwoods. These items include furniture, flooring, and . Knife handles can be made from a select few hardwoods, such as cocobolo and ebony. Furniture made from hardwoods tends to be more expensive than that made from softwoods. 

In Europe, hardwoods account for some thirty percent and softwoods for some seventy percent of wood consumption. Hardwood has very short fibers and is so also used to make fine paper such as writing paper, tissue, and printing paper. Paper with longer fibers such as paper bags, cardboard and shipping containers is made of softwoods.

## Gallery 
A variety of objects made from different hardwoods.

Typical White and dark knights in boxwood and rosewood.jpg|Chess pieces: boxwood and rosewood
Cocobolo chess pieces.jpg|Chess pieces: cocobolo
SandalwoodChessPieces.jpg|Chess pieces: red sandalwood
Chessboard of Sigismund III Vasa ZKnW-PZS 549.jpg|Chessboard, ebony and ivory
Ibanez NW 340 Maple (esdoorn) acoustische gitaar.jpg|Guitar, maple
Taylor Richie Sambora Signature model, 2008 Stamford Guitar Festival.jpg|Guitar, koa
Rob Allen Mouse 30 Walnut body (8308175907).jpg|Guitar part, walnut
Different Ash Flatbows.jpeg|Longbows from ash
White oak bokken.jpg|White oak sword (sport)
Baseball bat 1.jpg|Baseball bats
BiltmoreBowlingAlley.jpg|Bowling alley
Manamana 001.jpg|A Djembe drum made of hardwood
Boxwood statue of Avalokiteshvara (Guan-Yin).jpg|A boxwood carving from China
Ganesh in legno di sandalo.jpg|Carving, sandalwood
Miniatyrskulptur sköldpadda.JPG|Carving
Side table MET DP-14129-183.jpg|Antique sidetable
Skrivbyrå, 1700-talets andra del - Hallwylska museet - 110109.tif|Antique furniture
Comb-back Windsor armchair MET DP-14061-104.jpg|Windsor chair
America, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 18th century - Side Chair - 1985.58 - Cleveland Museum of Art.tif|Chair, mahogany
Grand Canyon National Park 1893 Miner's Pipe (6883823030).jpg|Pipe

## Related pages 
*Lumber
*Veneer
*Woodworking

## References
*Jane F.W. 1970.* The structure of wood*. 2nd ed, edited by K. Wilson & D.J.B. White. London: Adam & Charles Black. 

## Other websites
*Forestry Commission Scotland - Hardwoods 
*Paper Online