Is A Water Maple A Hardwood Tree

The maple tree is a member of a group of 200 species of trees and shrubs worldwide that belong to the acer family.

Is a water maple a hardwood tree.

Although the silver maple s latin name is similar it should not be confused with acer. Silver maple this tree is close behind the sugar maple in terms of being the most prolific tree in north america. It grows natively in the northeastern regions of the united states and can reach a height of more than 100 feet at maturity. The wood is strong stiff and shock resistant.

Other types of hardwood trees in american forests include. The wood of the sugar maple is strong heavy and hard with a light brown to reddish color. It is one of the most common trees in the united states. So what is a softwood tree.

A few well known hardwood species are oak maple and cherry but many more trees share hardwood tree characteristics. 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. Sugar maple and black maple are hard. A tree 30 inches in diameter measured 4 5 feet above the ground with 48 feet of trunk saleable.

Affect hardwood stumpage prices. In fact about 40 percent of american trees are in the hardwood category. Maple trees are classified as either hard or soft. Biologists contract hardwood trees with softwood trees.

All maples are hardwoods but the species found in america are further classified as hard or soft maples. Acer saccharinum commonly known as silver maple creek maple silverleaf maple soft maple large maple water maple swamp maple or white maple is a species of maple native to the eastern and central united states and southeastern canada. The most common hard maple is the sugar or rock maple. The heart size of hard maple trees depends on many factors and is usually hard to predict before cutting.

With leaves that look very similar to the sugar maple the silver maple s leaves are thinner with more defined points. Determining hard maple quality. America s forests contain hundreds of different hardwood tree species. Because you can t tell how big the heartwood is relative to the sapwood hard maple is one of the more difficult species of hardwood timber to value while standing.

As hard maple replaced oak in many. 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. 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 grain of sugar maple is usually straight sometimes displaying attractive curly or bird s eye patterns. Hard maple is still in demand for furniture and for trim and cabinets in houses and offices hence the relatively high prices paid for it.