American Hornbeam (Musclewood)

Tagged as: Four Season Landscape, Intermediate Sized Trees, Native Trees, Plants for Shady Sites, Plants Tolerant of Wet Sites, Trees and Shrubs That Attract Birds

Botanical name: Carpinus caroliniana
Common name: American Hornbeam (Musclewood)

Updated 2/2012

Click on an image to enlarge

leaves and fruit	fall color	flowers

bark

Height: 25-35' (often smaller) Spread: 25-30' Habit/Form: Round to wide-spreading Growth Rate: Slow Zone: 3-9

Cultural Requirements: Best in rich, moist slightly acidic soil in sun or shade; tolerant of drier sites and periodic flooding once established; spring planting best

Ornamental Characteristics: Often multi-trunked; fluted, blue-gray bark with long sinewy ridges gives it the common name, musclewood; new leaves emerge reddish-purple, changing to dark green then yellow to orange–red fall color

Use in the Landscape: Midwest native understory tree; best in naturalized or woodland situations

Birds Attracted: Songbirds, especially grosbeak, cardinal, and goldfinch
Plant Appeal for Birds: Nutlets; shelter

Plant tolerant of occasional or temporary flooding

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