American Hornbeam
Introduction
The American hornbeam is also known as “musclewood” because its bark has taunt, shallow fissures that mimic the texture of muscle. As stout as its nickname implies, the hornbeam is able to survive in plenty of shade, which make it a great addition to shady areas that other trees would struggle with. .
Common Name
American hornbeam
Latin Name
Carpinus caroliniana
Leaf
Alternate, 3–12 cm long, with prominent veins giving a distinctive corrugated texture, and a serrated margin
Flower
Flowers are on small greenish catkins, about one and a half inches long
Fruit/nut
Small, oval-shaped, hairy, and green fruits hang in clusters from a shared stalk
Twig/branches
Brown-colored and slender with alternating leaves
Bark
Smooth and greenish-grey, becoming shallowly fissured in old trees
Form
Broad base, becoming round at the top
Size
20 to 40 feet
Native Range
Native to eastern North America, from Minnesota and southern Ontario east to Maine, and south to eastern Texas and northern Florida. It also grows in Canada (southwest Quebec and southeast Ontario).
Type
Small deciduous tree
Seasonal Colors
Turns to bright orange and red on the fall
Soil
Grows in moist to wet soils and commonly occurs in swamps, along streams, and in wet bottomlands
Light
Prefers shade to partial shade
Similar Species
European hornbeam, Oriental hornbeam, Japanese hornbeam
Pests and Diseases
The American hornbeam is generally resistant to pests and diseases.
Rebate Eligibility
$50
Of Note
Hornbeams yield a very hard timber that give it the alternate name “ironwood.”
American hornbeam is an important food of gray squirrels in southern bottom-land hardwoods.
Photo Credits
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