Hardwood Shade Trees

Hardwood trees provide welcome shade in the hot summer months.

Hardwoods are species of trees and shrubs that generally have dense, heavy wood. Many of them live up to 100 years, and they are popular with homeowners because they provide shade and are home to birds and small mammals. Some common hardwood shade trees are maple, oak and birch.

Description

Hardwood trees have broad leaves or leaves that are green and flat, although color may vary from light yellowish-green to a deep, rich green. Generally, hardwood shade trees have a single sturdy trunk and a canopy of branches, making them good shade trees.

Variety

Out of 10,000 species of trees worldwide, only 500 are softwood trees; the remainder are hardwood, according to the University of Kentucky. Fifty species of hardwood tree are harvested commercially for their wood.

Identification

A hardwood tree is so named because the wood is generally harder than the wood of a softwood tree, but that is not the best way to identify a hardwood tree. Some hardwood trees, such as balsa, are not dense. The best way to identify a hardwood tree is in how the tree produces seeds. According to the University of Kentucky, hardwood trees are angiosperms, or trees that produce seeds with a covering. This covering could be fruit, such as apples, or a hard shell, such as the walnut. Softwood trees produce seeds without a covering, such as pine cones.

Uses

Hardwood shade trees provide a long-lasting anchor in landscaping. These trees are usually deciduous, but live oak and magnolia are evergreen hardwood trees. Hardwood trees such as the maple provide shade during the summer. Many hardwood trees, such as maple, have beautiful colors in the fall.

Disease

Some hardwood shade trees fall prey to bacteria, fungus and insect invasion. Bacterial leaf scorch is spread by insects and causes the leaves to curl and drop and the branches to die. Verticillium wilt is a soil-borne fungus that attacks hardwood trees from the roots up, causing sections to die. Other fungal diseases attacking hardwood trees, according to Purdue University, are tar spot, nectria canker and sapstreak disease.

Industrial Uses

Hardwood shade trees such as maple, walnut, oak and pecan are used to make quality furniture, floors, veneer and other items for the home. These trees are commercially grown. According to Iowa State University, the denser the wood, the stronger it is.

References

• Purdue University: Planting and Care of Fine Hardwood Seedlings
• University of Minnesota: Pruning Trees and Shrubs
• Iowa State University: Properties and Uses of Iowa Hardwoods
• Trees are Good: Tree Care Information: New Tree Planting
• The University of Kentucky: Scientific Classification of Trees: An Introduction for Wood Workers