Carpinus caroliniana
American hornbeam · also Blue-beech, Ironwood, Musclewood
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American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) is a small, deciduous understory tree known for its distinctive sinewy, muscle-like trunk. It thrives in shaded, moist areas, often along rivers, and its fruits provide food for birds and small mammals. This species tolerates urban pollution, shade, and wind, but is sensitive to drought and heat.
Where it grows
Trees in each city's inventory, with the share of that city's named trees this species accounts for.
- 1,9930.27%—4.0 in
- 1,8000.91%6.9 yr2.5 in
- 1,2870.39%4.4 yr2.0 in
- 6220.34%—3.0 in
- 5310.45%8.0 yr3.0 in
- 4100.49%—2.4 in
- 3940.12%5.9 yr2.0 in
- 3480.05%—2.8 in
- 1820.11%2.3 yr2.0 in
- 1760.07%—3.0 in
- 1601.4%5.4 yr2.0 in
- 1440.19%4.8 yr2.0 in
- 920.03%—3.0 in
- 580.08%—4.7 in
- 530.11%—2.0 in
- 290.24%3.8 yr2.0 in
- 210.13%23 yr12 in
- 90.02%—2.0 in
- 70.01%17 yr2.0 in
- 50.01%—16 in
- 30.00%—9.0 in
- 20.00%—8.0 in
- 20.00%——
- 10.00%—2.0 in
- 10.00%—7.1 in
Traits
- Form
- Broadleaf
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Mature height
- 20–35 ft
- Canopy spread
- 20–30 ft
- Drought tolerance
- Low
- Wildlife value
- High
- Blooms
- Mar, Apr, May
Trunk diameters across every city: median 3.0 in, mean 4.0 in, 90th percentile 7.5 in. Measured at breast height, as published by each inventory.
Native range
Terrestrial ecoregions where this species is native. Trees in the dataset mostly stand well outside it.
Temperate Broadleaf & Mixed Forests
- East Central Texas forests
- Mississippi lowland forests
- New England-Acadian forests
Other Carpinus in the catalogue
9 of the top 2,000 species are in this genus.
