Above, you see the dappled light and racing shadows in a stand of softwood trees (balsam firs and spruces). Below, you’ll see the full light in a stand of hardwood trees (American white [“paper”] birches):
The images were taken Sunday within five minutes of each other.
Softwoods have evergreen needles that create a shaded canopy all year. My understanding is that the softwoods come from “gymnosperm” trees: trees that have “revealed seed” that is not hidden in a fruit, nut, or other ovule. Hardwoods come from “angiosperm” trees: trees that have “enclosed seed” in an ovule and usually are deciduous, with leaves that fall each year.
Softwood trees can spread their seeds more easily and grow faster than hardwoods can. The faster growth, however, makes their cellular structure much less dense, hence softer than hardwoods. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on March 2, 2025.)