Hardwood

Hardwood refers to lumber from broadleaf, typically deciduous trees (oak, maple, walnut, cherry), as opposed to softwood from coniferous trees. It's a botanical classification based on the tree's reproductive structure, not a literal claim about density or hardness -- balsa wood is botanically a hardwood despite being far softer than most softwoods like Douglas fir. For actual hardness data by species, see each species' Janka hardness rating in the Wood Species wiki.