It's not a strong wood, but it is a hard wood.
Interesting thought about "hardwoods" and "softwoods" is their designation isn't derived from properties of the wood itself.


soft·wood | ˈsôf(t)ˌwo͝od |
noun
1 the wood from a conifer (such as pine, fir, or spruce) as distinguished from that of broadleaved trees.

hard·wood | ˈhärdˌwo͝od |
noun
1 the wood from a broadleaved tree (such as oak, ash, or beech) as distinguished from that of conifers
Some hardwoods are softer than some softwoods. Likewise, some softwoods are harder than some hardwoods.

jtk