American Hornbeam

The American Hornbeam tree, Carpinus caroliniana, is a shade tolerant below story tree. American Hornbeam trees are also recognized by the common names of Musclewood, Ironwood, Blue Beech, and Water Beech trees. The word "hornbeam" comes from the words "horn" for "toughness" and "beam" an old English word for "tree" and refers to this tree's extremely hard, rough, wood. This deciduous species provides nuts that are eaten by a lot of birds such as grouse, bobwhite, pheasant and wild turkey. Cottontail rabbits and deer nibble on the shoots of this tree.

Carpinus caroliniana exhibits leaves that are thin and beautifully transparent. This shade tree will give cool, dense shade in the summer because of its many leaves giving a dense look. In late autumn the leaves twist deep scarlet and orange as long as good fall color tree.