American hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana
It is frequently called 'Musclewood' because the smooth, fluted trunk resembles the rippling muscles of a bodybuilder.
- Scientific name
- Carpinus caroliniana
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Fagales › Betulaceae › Carpinus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Mesic deciduous forests, shaded ravines, and bottomlands near streams.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (Sunlight, Water, Carbon Dioxide).
- Range
- Eastern North America, Southern Ontario, Florida Panhandle, East Texas
- Size
- 20 to 35 feet tall with a spread of 20 to 30 feet.
- Lifespan
- 75 to 150 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation and competition from invasive understory plants like burning bush.
- Safe to approach?
- Completely harmless. These trees are safe to touch and provide excellent shade. Do not attempt to cut or carve the wood, as its extreme density can damage tools.
Carpinus caroliniana , the American hornbeam , is a small hardwood tree in the genus Carpinus . American hornbeam is also known as blue-beech , ironwood , and musclewood . It is native to eastern North America, from Minnesota and southern Ontario east to Maine, and south to eastern Texas and northern Florida. It also grows in Canada (southwest Quebec and southeast Ontario).
Photo: Douglas Goldman, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/0bde2a2b-3408-4a1c-b7e2-bbdc239cf155.md