Anatomy of Wood

All woody plants , whether shrubs, woody wines or trees, share similar biological characteristics that produce wood as their structural tissue. When considering only trees, there are two general categories of wood: softwoods from gymnosperms (pine, spruce, Douglas-fir, etc.), which are coniferous, or "cone-bearing" plants with needle-like leaves, and hardwoods from angiosperms (maple, oak, hickory, etc.), which are deciduous, or broadleaved plaints with enclosed seeds, Despite the names, some hardwoods are soft, and some are hard; the terms are biological in nature and not necessarily literal.

"The Biological Nature and Anatomy of Wood" National Wood Flooring Association Technical Publication No. A200 2023