I am interested to learn about structural features of hardwood that determine sawn timber strength and are moreover available to modelling with non-physiological approaches. My particular interest is currently European beech timber. Considering softwood, i.e. coniferous species, such features are knottiness, cambial age (related to juvenile vs. mature wood) and annual ring width (related to wood density). While I think that knottiness and also cambial age are likely general factors of sawn timber strength, I am not sure about year ring width in timber of beech that is a diffuse-porous species. If growth rate is relevant, has its influence yet been quantified? Moreover I would like to learn, whether there are further structural features that are relevant for sawn timber strength and stiffness of European beech.