Carpinus caroliniana
American Hornbeam, Ironwood, Musclewood
General
American hornbeam is an attractive, small tree of the hardwood bottomlands. It has distinctive grey, fluted bark that looks like a flexed muscle. The wood of this tree is very dense and hard, and it has been used to make mallet heads and tool handles. It is a valuable tree to many butterflies, birds, and mammals. It grows best in moist, rich, acidic, deep soils, where flooding doesn’t occur for more than 20% of the growing season.
Plant Description
Small, deciduous, understory tree. Mature bark is smooth, thin, and grey with fluting that gives a sinewy, muscular appearance. Leaves are elliptical and doubly serrate, similar to other trees in the birch family. Leaves become very colorful in the fall. Male catkins are green and female catkins are reddish green.
Height (ft)
20-40
Spread (ft)
20-35
Soil moisture
Moist
Soil types
Coarse to fine textured mineral soils; acidic soils, rich soils.
Wetland indicator
FAC
Shade tolerance
Partial to full shade
Bloom color
Green/Orange
Bloom period
Mid Spring
Fall conspicuous
Yes
Anaerobic tolerance
Low
Drought tolerance
Low
Salinity tolerance
None
Self-Pollinating?
Yes
Range
American Hornbeam is native to the eastern United States.
Additional Information
According to BRIT - Native American Ethnobotany Database, this tree has been used as the main supporting pole for tents and wigwams.