Discover the Versatile American Hornbeam: Beauty and Resilience for Your Landscape

The American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) is a handsome native deciduous tree found in the eastern U.S.A. Known for its smooth, bluish-gray bark resembling muscles, giving it the nickname “musclewood,” this tree is adaptable to various landscape settings. It naturally occurs near streams and in moist woodlands. This medium-sized tree slowly reaches a height of 20 to 30 feet, displaying attractive orange-red fall foliage. Its tolerance for heavy shade makes it a great understory tree. While somewhat slow-growing and needing careful transplanting, its adaptability to different soil types and tolerance of wind and occasional flooding make it a resilient choice for naturalized areas, urban settings, and wildlife gardens. It’s also a valuable tree for pollinators and provides food and shelter for various wildlife.

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1 Gallon

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3 Gallon

$8.00

7 Gallon

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15 Gallon

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Carpinus caroliniana - American Hornbeam; Blue Beech; Musclewood; Ironwood

An American Hornbeam showcases its smooth, muscle-like bark and its developing fall color, highlighting its unique texture and seasonal appeal.

Scientific Name: Carpinus caroliniana
Common Name: American Hornbeam, Blue Beech, Hornbeam, Ironwood, Musclewood, Muscle Wood, Water Beech
Hardiness Zones: 3A through 9A
Height: 20 to 30 feet
Spread: 20 to 35 feet
Growth Rate: Slow
Foliage: Spring & Summer: Alternate, simple, doubly toothed leaves with a dull bluish-green surface. Fall: Turns an attractive orange-red color, providing beautiful autumn interest.
Bark: Smooth, bluish-gray, thin bark with distinctive fluted vertical ridges, resembling flexed muscles, which gives it the common name “musclewood.”
Sun: Full sun to heavy shade; very adaptable to light conditions.
Soil: Prefers sandy or clay loams with high organic matter, regular moisture, and slightly acidic soils. It is tolerant of a range from well-drained to occasionally wet and even periodic flooding.
Wildlife Value: This tree is a larval host plant for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and Red-spotted Purple butterflies. Its seed and buds are a food source for songbirds, ruffed grouse, quail, wild turkeys, foxes, and squirrels. It also provides good cover and shelter for animals.

Why Choose American Hornbeam?

Unique Muscle-Like Bark:

The American Hornbeam is easily recognized by its smooth, bluish-gray bark that appears fluted and muscular, providing year-round visual interest, especially in the winter landscape. This unique characteristic adds a distinctive touch to any garden.

Thrives in Sun and Shade:

This adaptable tree performs well in a wide range of light conditions, from full sun to heavy shade. This versatility makes it a great choice for various locations in the landscape, including understory plantings where other trees might struggle.

hornbeam Agrilus (Agrilus carpini) at Cardinal Marsh IA 653A4588

Beautiful Fall Color and Wildlife Support:

Enjoy the attractive orange-red fall foliage of the American Hornbeam, adding a vibrant touch to autumn. Furthermore, it supports local wildlife by serving as a host plant for butterflies and providing food and shelter for birds and small mammals.

Tolerant of Various Conditions:

The American Hornbeam shows good tolerance for different soil types, wind, and even occasional flooding, making it a resilient and reliable choice for various landscape challenges, including rain gardens and urban environments.

Environmental Benefits of Planting American Hornbeam

This data is based on US Averages of healthy and mature trees over a 20-year period.

Check out the USDA’s MyTree Tool to input your custom location data.

A single American hornbeam can offset the CO₂ emissions produced by driving an average gas-powered car for 173 miles.

A single American hornbeam can absorb enough stormwater to fill 895 bathtubs, reducing erosion, runoff, and supporting transpiration.

A single American hornbeam removes as much air pollution as the weight of 110 smartphones.

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