Top 5 Softwood types: PINE-Pine is a softwood which grows in most areas of the Northern Hemisphere. There are more than 100 species worldwide. ASH-There are 16 species of ash which grow in the eastern United States. Of these, the white ash is the largest and most commercially important. HICKORY-There are 15 species of hickory in the eastern United States, eight of which are commercially important. BEECH-The American beech is a single species which grows in the eastern half of the United States. BIRCH-There are many species of birch. The yellow birch is the most commercially important. European birch is fine grained, rare and expensive.