Final answer:
Conifers, like pines, have soft wood in their xylem. Evergreens are trees that retain their leaves year-round.
Step-by-step explanation:
Conifers, such as pines, are a common division of gymnosperms. Conifers have a different hardness compared to oaks because their xylem is considered "soft wood." The wood of conifers contains tracheids but no vessel elements, which gives it a softer texture compared to hardwoods like oak.
An evergreen is a type of tree or plant that retains its leaves throughout the year and does not shed them all at once in a specific season. Conifers are generally evergreen trees, meaning they maintain their needles or scale-like leaves year-round.