This report describes 53 taxa of North American hardwoods, which are organized alphabetically by genus. Descriptions include scientific name, trade name, distribution, tree characteristics, wood characteristics (e.g., general, weight, mechanical properties, drying, shrinkage, working properties, durability, preservation, toxicity, and uses), and additional sources of information. Data were compiled from existing literature, mostly from research don at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, WI.