NAME:
COMMON – Hornbeam
BOTANICAL – Carpinus caroliniana
FAMILY – Betulaceae

DERIVATION:
Native to eastern North America

GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS:
Grows slowly, 20 to 30 feet tall and 20 to 35 feet wide.

LOCATION:
Can be found naturally in areas with moist soil, including streambanks, riverbanks and maritime forests.

ATTRIBUTES, VALUE, UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS:
The common name musclewood comes from the appearance of the smooth bark over branches with sinewy fluting that resembles muscles. The extremely hard wood of this tree will, as the common name suggests, take a horn-like polish and was once used by early Americans to make bowls, tool handles, and ox yokes. This is a wildlife-friendly tree perfect for a pollinator, children’s or native garden, acting as a larval host plant, food source for mammals and birds and a cover plant.

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