Hardwoods are deciduous, the botanical group of trees that have broad leaves, produce a fruit or nut, and generally go dormant in the winter. There are hundreds of hardwood species in the United States. Together, all the hardwood species represent 40 percent of the trees in the United States. In contrast, softwoods, or conifers, from the Latin word meaning "cone-bearing," have needles. Widely available softwoods include cedar, fir, hemlock, pine, redwood and spruce.