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American hornbeam

Scientific Name: Carpinus caroliniana ssp. caroliniana

Family: Betulaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Tree, Shrub

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Carpinus caroliniana: American Hornbeam

Carpinus caroliniana, commonly known as American hornbeam, is a small hardwood tree appreciated for its fine texture and attractive globular form. Other common names include blue-beech, ironwood, musclewood, and water-beech.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Carpinus caroliniana
  • Family: Betulaceae (Birch family)
  • Plant Symbol: CACA18 (USDA NRCS)

Considerations for Pets

  • American hornbeam's papery winged fruits appear in late spring.

Considerations for Children

  • American hornbeam's papery winged fruits appear in late spring.

Description and Growth Habits

  • A slow-growing, deciduous, small to medium-sized understory tree.
  • Typically reaches a height and spread of 20 to 30 feet.
  • Can have one or more trunks, each approximately a foot wide.
  • Leaves are alternate, simple, and double-toothed with equal leaf bases.
  • Bark is smooth and bluish-gray, often described as having a sinewy or muscle-like appearance.
  • Foliage turns shades of yellow, orange, and red in the fall.

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to eastern North America, ranging from Minnesota and southern Ontario east to Maine, and south to eastern Texas and Florida.
  • Frequently found along watercourses and the edges of swamps.
  • Native forest understory tree, making it suitable for shady landscapes, naturalized areas, and woodland gardens.
  • Hardy to zone 3.

Quirky Facts

  • The common name "muscle tree" or "musclewood" comes from the sinewy texture of its gray, fluted bark, resembling muscles.
  • The name "hornbeam" refers to the strength and hardness of the wood. It is derived from the hardness of the wood and the Old English word "beam," which means tree.
  • A 41-foot-tall specimen of American Hornbeam was recorded in Hamilton County in 1985.

Ecological Role

  • Plays a vital role in its natural environment, serving numbered and varied functions.
  • Tolerates shade, allowing it to thrive as an understory tree.

Further Information

  • National Plant Data Center: http://npdc.usda.gov