American Hornbeam

American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana, Betulaceae) is a slow-growing deciduous understory tree native to eastern North America from Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas. It typically reaches 20 to 30 feet tall. The most distinctive feature is its smooth gray bark with prominent muscle-like fluting along the trunk. Leaves turn red to orange-red in fall. The tree is also known as musclewood, blue-beech, and ironwood.

American hornbeam grows in full sun to shade on a wide range of soils, preferring moist, organically rich conditions, hardy in Zones 3b to 8b. It tolerates periodic flooding, clay soil, heavy shade, and black walnut proximity. The species is sensitive to drought, heat, and soil compaction, and can be difficult to transplant. It is a larval host for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and Red-spotted Purple butterflies and attracts birds. Cultivars include 'Rising Fire' and 'JFS-KW6.'