Wood Species (Softwoods)

Yesterday I listed the over 200 species of Hardwoods (angiosperms) found around the world.  Today I will list the approximately 50 Softwoods (coniferous) species.

Below is the list of Softwood species:

Softwoods (coniferous)

• Araucaria
  • Hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii)
  • Monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana)
  • Paraná pine (Araucaria angustifolia)
• Cedar (Cedrus)
• Celery-top pine (Phyllocladus aspleniifolius)
• Cypress (Chamaecyparis, Cupressus, Taxodium)
  • Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica)
  • Bald cypress, southern cypress (Taxodium distichum)
  • Alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides)
  • Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa)
  • Lawson’s cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana)
  • Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
• Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
  • Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii)
  • Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca)
• European yew (Taxus baccata)
• Fir (Abies)
  • Balsam fir (Abies balsamea)
  • Silver fir (Abies alba)
  • Noble fir (Abies procera)
  • Pacific silver fir (Abies amabilis)
• Hemlock (Tsuga)
  • Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
  • Mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana)
  • Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)
• Huon pine, Macquarie pine (Lagarostrobos franklinii)
• Kauri (New Zealand) (Agathis australis)
• Queensland kauri (Australia) (Agathis robusta)
• Japanese nutmeg-yew, kaya (Torreya nucifera)
• Larch (Larix)
  • European larch (Larix decidua)
  • Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi)
  • Tamarack (Larix laricina)
  • Western larch (Larix occidentalis)
• Pine (Pinus)
  • European black pine (Pinus nigra)
  • Jack pine (Pinus banksiana)
  • Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta)
  • Monterey pine (Pinus radiata)
  • Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)
  • Red pine (North America) (Pinus resinosa)
  • Scots pine, red pine (UK) (Pinus sylvestris)
  • White pine
    • Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)
    • Western white pine (Pinus monticola)
    • Sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana)
  • Southern yellow pine
    • Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda)
    • Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris)
    • Pitch pine (Pinus rigida)
    • Shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata)
• Red cedar
  • Eastern red cedar, (Juniperus virginiana)
  • Western red cedar (Thuja plicata)
• Coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
• Rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum)
• Spruce (Picea)
  • Norway spruce (Picea abies)
  • Black spruce (Picea mariana)
  • Red spruce (Picea rubens)
  • Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)
  • White spruce (Picea glauca)
• Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica)
• White cedar
  • Northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
  • Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides)
• Nootka cypress (Cupressus nootkatensis)

The final species group is the Pseudowood species of which there are only three:

Pseudowood

Other wood-like materials:

• Bamboo
• Palm tree
  • Coconut Timber (Cocos nucifera)
  • Toddy palm timber (Borassus flabellifer)

EMAILS & READERS’ COMMENTS

Today we have some emails and comments from our readers that I think everyone will find quite interesting:

Steve Hibbard wrote in about my question regarding the use of catalpa wood for carving.  Steve writes:

“Hi: Catalpa isn’t too common in Southwest Ontario where I live, but it is popular for carving due to its beautiful grain. I have a friend who does human busts with it. I have found it too hard to carve with gouges, but I did manage to power carve a Christmas ornament from it.”

John Pearson wrote in an email making a point that all wood carvers should always adhere to.  John wrote:

“Hi Bob,

I thought this might be a nice FYI for beginners on Wood Chip Chatter?   Common courtesy to all who instruct and inspire us. 

John”

“I recently listened to podcast 002 published by the International Association of Woodcarvers.  It featured a Q & A with Doug Linker.   Doug has many YouTube videos/tutorials geared toward beginners.   One of the topics I found interesting was his disdain for folks who carve one of his projects and claim it has their own on social media.  

The purpose of my email today is to encourage all beginners to be sure and give credit where credit is due.  For example, …this carving inspired by @Douglinker or @Carverbobk”  

That’s so true, John.  It really annoys me when that happens to me.  I actually get offended.  I welcome all carvers everywhere to use my designs but I also ask them to just simply mention my name when the piece is completed.  All carvers, whether they are beginners or seasoned should give credit where credit is due.  I understand when a carver completes a carving he or she can be very proud of it but if it is not their own design, if they used the design (for example a roughout) from another carver it is only common courtesy to mention that carver as the originator and give that person credit.  The creator of a design spends many hours in designing the pattern, carving the original, and perhaps going through multiple failures until he gets it right.  The designer is not only putting in hours of work, he is also putting his heart and soul into creating that carving and it’s only right and fair that he or she be acknowledged for all of that when someone else imitates their work.

Thank you so much, John, for bringing up this significant point!

Patrick Weddle sent in a nice email saying:

“Bob,

Thanks for everything you are doing!  You’re not just a pretty face.  Seriously, what you’re doing is special and very much appreciated!

Pat”

Patrick,

Thank you very much for your kind words.  I’m not so sure about the pretty face part but I greatly appreciate it.  It’s folks like you who make it all worthwhile.

Bob

Let the chips fly!  Tell your friends about Wood Chip Chatter, and don’t forget to send in your questions and comments so we can keep Wood Chip Chatter Active and keep the conversations going!

And remember to email your photos to carverbobk@woodchipchatter.com

Keep a sharp edge and keep on carvin’!