Carpinus carolinianaIndiana Native
American Hornbeam
Other Common Names: Musclewood

Carpinus caroliniana - Overall Trees in Summer

Family:

Betulaceae (Birch Family) 29

Genus:

Carpinus (Hornbeam Ironwood Musclewood Blue Beech Water Beech Beech) 9

Plant Type:

Tree 583

Growth Forms:

Hardiness:

USDA Zone 3 274

Deciduous / Evergreen:

Deciduous 879

Flower Notes:

Green (Spring; Not ornamentally important)

Foliage Notes:

Green (Dark green in summer); Multi-Colored (Variable fall foliage from orange-red to yellow)

Stem Notes:

Dark red-brown (Slender, somewhat hairy, smooth and shiny stems)

Fruit Notes:

Brown (Dry fruits (nutlets partly enclosed by bracts) resemble "hops" hanging in pendulous clusters that last into fall)

Ultimate Height:

20-30 feet

Ultimate Spread:

20-30 feet

Bloom Times:

April 215

Fruiting Times:

Light Requirements:

Soil Water Requirements:

Medium 243

Soil Notes:

Tolerant of different soil types

Range:

Eastern North America

Maintenance:

Low 351

Diagnostic Characteristics:

Alternate, simple, serrated 2.5-5" long leaves. Compared to Carpinus betulus, C. caroliniana buds are straight instead of bending around stem, leaves are thinner, less sharply serrated, and veins are less impressed above. Downy, imbricate buds with 4-ranked scales. Terminal bud absent. Smooth, gray, "sinewy" bark

Ecological Functions:

Special Characteristics:

Insignificant Flowering 22

Notable Bark 168

Slow Growth Rate 272

Tolerant of Poor Site Conditions 196

Wet Soil Tolerant 114

Additional Information

A clean, trouble-free small tree, useful in intensive situations such as patios and malls, and equally interesting in naturalized plantings. Useful as a large hedge if coppiced when young. Performs well in heavy shade and tolerates periodic flooding. Difficult to transplant. Move balled-and-burlapped for best results. Sometimes called Blue Beech and Ironwood (although these are best not used).

Plant Photo Gallery

Overall Trees in Summer

Overall Tree in Fall

Fall Leaf

Trunk & Bark

Summer Foliage

Bracts

Flowers

Bark

Dried Fruit

Buds

Winter Habit

Flowers and Buds

Flowers

When Carpinus caroliniana has been observed flowering or fruiting at Purdue University

Flowering

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Week 1 flowering not present	Week 2 flowering not present	Week 3 flowering not present	Week 4 flowering not present	Week 5 flowering not present	Week 6 flowering not present	Week 7 flowering not present	Week 8 flowering not present	Week 9 flowering not present	Week 10 flowering not present	Week 11 flowering not present	Week 12 flowering not present	Week 13 flowering present	Week 14 flowering present	Week 15 flowering present	Week 16 flowering present	Week 17 flowering present	Week 18 flowering present	Week 19 flowering present	Week 20 flowering present	Week 21 flowering present	Week 22 flowering not present	Week 23 flowering present	Week 24 flowering not present	Week 25 flowering not present	Week 26 flowering not present	Week 27 flowering not present	Week 28 flowering not present	Week 29 flowering present	Week 30 flowering present	Week 31 flowering present	Week 32 flowering present	Week 33 flowering present	Week 34 flowering present	Week 35 flowering not present	Week 36 flowering not present	Week 37 flowering not present	Week 38 flowering not present	Week 39 flowering not present	Week 40 flowering not present	Week 41 flowering not present	Week 42 flowering not present	Week 43 flowering not present	Week 44 flowering not present	Week 45 flowering not present	Week 46 flowering not present	Week 47 flowering not present	Week 48 flowering not present	Week 49 flowering not present	Week 50 flowering not present	Week 51 flowering not present	Week 52 flowering not present

Fruiting

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec

Week 1 fruiting not present	Week 2 fruiting not present	Week 3 fruiting not present	Week 4 fruiting not present	Week 5 fruiting not present	Week 6 fruiting not present	Week 7 fruiting not present	Week 8 fruiting not present	Week 9 fruiting not present	Week 10 fruiting not present	Week 11 fruiting not present	Week 12 fruiting not present	Week 13 fruiting not present	Week 14 fruiting not present	Week 15 fruiting not present	Week 16 fruiting not present	Week 17 fruiting not present	Week 18 fruiting not present	Week 19 fruiting not present	Week 20 fruiting not present	Week 21 fruiting not present	Week 22 fruiting not present	Week 23 fruiting not present	Week 24 fruiting not present	Week 25 fruiting not present	Week 26 fruiting not present	Week 27 fruiting not present	Week 28 fruiting not present	Week 29 fruiting not present	Week 30 fruiting not present	Week 31 fruiting not present	Week 32 fruiting not present	Week 33 fruiting not present	Week 34 fruiting not present	Week 35 fruiting not present	Week 36 fruiting present	Week 37 fruiting present	Week 38 fruiting present	Week 39 fruiting present	Week 40 fruiting present	Week 41 fruiting present	Week 42 fruiting present	Week 43 fruiting not present	Week 44 fruiting not present	Week 45 fruiting not present	Week 46 fruiting not present	Week 47 fruiting not present	Week 48 fruiting not present	Week 49 fruiting not present	Week 50 fruiting not present	Week 51 fruiting not present	Week 52 fruiting not present

97 Carpinus caroliniana found

Building Map...

= Heritage plant = Memorial plant

Number	Accession ID	Location
1	ORIG_9896*A	ARMS
2	2010_04716*A	FST
3	ORIG_9540*A	LWSN
4	ORIG_9539*A	LWSN
5	ORIG_9537*A	LWSN
6	ORIG_9894*A	ARMS
7	ORIG_9904*A	ARMS
8	2015_00318*A	HGRH
9	ORIG_3085*A	STEW
10	2010_04409*A	FST
11	2010_05380*A	FST
12	2010_05379*A	FST
13	2010_04407*A	FST
14	ORIG_9621*A	HILL
15	2018_00988*A	OWEN
16	ORIG_2720*A	GRIS
17	2010_05381*A	FST
18	ORIG_9620*A	HILL
19	ORIG_9619*A	HILL
20	ORIG_1754*A	JNSN
21	2009_14610*A	PFEN
22	ORIG_2170*A	EE
23	ORIG_2169*A	EE
24	2010_04408*A	FST
25	2018_00596*A	PRCE
26	ORIG_2721*A	GRIS
27	2018_00987*A	OWEN
28	2018_00929*A	FST
29	2010_04721*A	FST
30	ORIG_1758*A	JNSN
31	2010_04406*A	FST
32	2010_04963*A	FST
33	ORIG_9542*A	LWSN
34	ORIG_9543*A	LWSN
35	2010_05385*A	FST
36	2012_00198*A	PRCE
37	2009_13785*A	HORTPARK
38	ORIG_9208*A	HILL
39	2013_00561*A	HORTPARK
40	ORIG_9541*A	LWSN
41	ORIG_1756*A	JNSN
42	2013_00562*A	HORTPARK
43	ORIG_1757*A	JNSN
44	2015_00319*A	HGRH
45	ORIG_1755*A	JNSN
46	2009_14615*A	PFEN
47	2010_04720*A	FST
48	2010_04719*A	FST
49	ORIG_9207*A	HILL
50	2010_04964*A	FST
51	2010_04962*A	FST
52	2018_00928*A	FST
53	ORIG_9209*A	HILL
54	2021_00041*B	CARY
55	2021_00041*C	CARY
56	2021_00023*A	FST
57	2021_00041*A	CARY
58	2022_00379*A	CHAS
59	2022_00365*A	CHAS
60	2022_00528*A	FST
61	2023_00034*A	FARM ANIMAL
62	2023_00034*B	FARM ANIMAL
63	2023_00034*C	BRUN
64	2023_00141*A	HCRN
65	2023_00141*B	HCRN
66	2023_00141*C	HCRS
67	2023_00141*E	WARN
68	2023_00141*G	SHLY
69	2023_00141*H	HSLY
70	2023_00336*A	PICK
71	2023_00336*B	PICK
72	2023_00336*C	PICK
73	2023_00336*D	PICK
74	2023_00336*E	PICK
75	2023_00368*A	DLR
76	2023_00368*B	DLR
77	2023_00368*C	DLR
78	2023_00368*D	DLR
79	2023_00368*E	DLR
80	2023_00368*G	BIND
81	2023_00368*H	BIND
82	2023_00444*A	BRWN
83	2023_00677*A	HORTPARK
84	2024_00008*A	HIKS
85	2024_00024*A	HORTPARK
86	2024_00024*B	HORTPARK
87	2024_00024*C	HORTPARK
88	2024_00024*D	HORTPARK
89	2024_00024*E	HORTPARK
90	2024_00024*F	HORTPARK
91	2024_00125*A	HCRN
92	2024_00125*B	HCRN
93	2024_00125*C	HCRN
94	2024_00152*A	HARR
95	2024_00152*B	HARR
96	2024_00196*A	LWSN
97	2024_00272*A

Additional Information

Plant Photo Gallery

Flowering

Fruiting

97 Carpinus caroliniana found

Other plants like this Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam)