Carpinus caroliniana

Hornbeam 

The hornbeam is a “short and stubby” tree, growing approximately 30 feet tall and 35 feet wide, often found alongside rivers and streams. One of its common names is “musclewood” in reference to its smooth-and- sinewy textured trunk which resembles muscles. This hardwood is extremely dense, making it difficult to work with and therefore not of much use commercially, but the wood of this floodplains-loving tree is a particular favorite for dam-building beavers. Hornbeams are also an essential source of food and shelter for a variety of wildlife, including serving as a host plant for eastern tiger swallowtail and red-spotted purple butterfly caterpillars.  

Hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana Walter  

COMMON NAMES hornbeam, American hornbeam, blue beech, musclewood, ironwood  

QUICK GUIDE Leaves alternate, simple, two-ranked, thin, margin doubly serrate, lateral veins usually unbranched; buds maroon and white striped; fruit a nutlet attached to a three-lobed leafy bract; bark gray, smooth, sinewy, and fluted.  

DESCRIPTION Leaves are alternate, simple, deciduous, two-ranked, ovate to elliptical, 5-10 cm (2.0-3.9 in) long, and thin; apex is acute to acuminate; base is cordate; margin is doubly serrate; lateral veins are usually unbranched; petiole and underside are pubescent; autumn color is a dull orange-red to brown. Twigs zigzag and are slender, maroon, and pubescent or glabrous, with white lenticels. The leaf scar is crescent shaped to round with three bundle scars. A true terminal bud is lacking; lateral bud is ovoid and about 4 mm (0.2 in) long; scales are maroon and white striped and overlapping. Flowers are perfect and appear with the leaves; staminate catkins are up to 4 cm (1.6 in) long and drooping; pistillate flowers have forked red stigmas and are obscure at the tips of new shoots. Fruit is a nutlet in a three-lobed leafy bract that hangs in pairs and matures in late summer. Bark is thin, gray or blue-gray, smooth, fluted, and sinewy. The growth form is a small understory tree usually only reaching 9 m (30 ft) in height.  

HABITAT Near streams, in floodplains and swamps, and on cool slopes in many forest cover types.  

NOTES Hornbeam is a small tree usually found in the understory. The wood is whitish, hard, and dense, and is used for specialty items such as tool handles and bowls. The foliage is a browse for white-tailed deer, rabbit, and beaver, and the seed is eaten by songbirds, wild turkey, squirrels, and rodents.  

Carpinus is Latin for “hornbeam”; caroliniana refers to the geographic range.