Is Elm Hardwood Tree

Being so young there was very little heartwood formed yet the darker brown wood on the right half with the majority of the wood being sapwood light area on the left half of the scans.

Is elm hardwood tree.

Softwood trees are conifers like pine which are evergreen and have needles instead of leaves. In europe smooth leaved elm and wych elm are more usual. For a tree to be a hardwood is based on whether that tree is deciduous not on the density of the wood. It has a sturdy wood resistance to wind damage and rapid growth.

These trees grow between an average height of 80 to 100 feet or about 24 to 30 meters. Although the wood of most softwood trees is less dense than hardwoods and often contains more air pockets whether a tree is a hardwood and softwood actually depends on the way that. Wheelwrights fashioned wheel hubs from nothing but the rugged elm and then used it to floor long lasting wagon beds. Softwood comes from a conifer cone bearing or evergreen trees such as pine or spruce.

Also known as ulmus americana the american elm tree is a type of elm species that is native to eastern north america much of this species naturally occurs from south to florida and central texas and further from nova scotia to alberta. Most hardwood trees are deciduous trees which lose their leaves annually like elm or maple. The names hardwood and softwood can be deceiving and they don t actually refer to the strength or consistency of the wood. Shown below is a piece of lumber from a small tree that was killed by dutch elm disease.

The texture and density of the wood a tree produces puts it in either the hardwood or softwood category. The bendability moe is 1 4 million psi for american and 1 54 million psi for rock. Throughout history man has chosen elm when he needed a tough and durable wood. American elm has a strength mor of 11 800 psi while rock elm has a strength of 14 800.

Ded is caused by a micro fungus that is spread by the elm bark beetle. Wood from the elm tree is very strong and it s valued for its interlocking grain. Elm is a hardwood because it is a deciduous tree meaning it loses its leaves every year. All those factors made it a popular choice.

The wood was commonly used to build wagon wheels and chair seats. The wood of the hard elms sometimes referred to as rock elm generally range from 41 to 47 lbs ft 3 while soft elms typically have a density from 35 to 38 lbs ft 3. Elm trees throughout europe and north america were devastated by dutch elm disease or ded. The most basic division of elm species is between hard and soft elm.