American hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
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Form & Habitat
American hornbeam form & habitat American hornbeam form & habitat
Leaves
American hornbeam leaves American hornbeam leaves American hornbeam leaf arrangement
Twigs
American hornbeam twig American hornbeam twig
Bark
American hornbeam bark American hornbeam bark American hornbeam bark
Flowers
Fruit
American hornbeam fruit American hornbeam fruit American hornbeam fruit American hornbeam fruit
  • FAMILY: BETULACEAE
  • ALTERNATE COMMON NAMES: bluebeech, musclewood
  • LEAVES: alternate, simple, deciduous; ovate, doubly-serrate margins
  • FLOWER: monoecious, catkins; male catkins are not pre-formed in fall
  • FRUIT: clusters of nutlets on 3-lobed bracts
  • TWIGS: zebra-striped buds
  • BARK: smooth, gray blue; fluted, looks muscular
  • FORM: small tree, 35’ x 8-10” diameter.
  • HABITAT: moist sites; understory species
  • WETLAND DESIGNATION: Facultative (FAC): Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands of the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Plain Region
  • RANGE: eastern US
  • USES: bird and squirrel eat seeds, deer browse twigs; wood is seldom used; ornamental
    • Best Recognition Features:
    1. smooth, gray, fluted trunk
    2. doubly-serrate margins
    3. nutlet on a 3-lobed bract

    Compared to Ostrya, American hornbeam has zebra-stripped buds, doubly serrate margins, and small nutlets borne on a three-lobed bract
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