American Hornbeam, Blue-beech, Ironwood, Musclewood, Water-beech
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Average mature size of 20-30' tall and wide. Small to medium sized, multi-stemmed, bushy shrub or single-stemmed tree with a wide-spreading, flat or round-topped (often irregular) crown. Slow growth rate, 8-10' over a 10 year period.

Native Range

Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas. Introduced 1812.

Flower and Fruit Details

Flowers are monoecious, male catkins 1-1.5" long, not ornamentally important, female catkins yellow-green, 2-4" long on a 3-lobed 1-1.5" long bract, the middle lobe the widest at 1" diameter, toothed. Blooms in April. Fruits are small, ribbed, seed-like nutlets, borne at base of 1-1.5" long, 3-lobed bract, about 1" long, numerous nutlets are held together in pendulous chain-like clusters, the entire infructescence 2-4" long, starting green changing to brown Sept-Oct.

Leaf and Bark Features

Leaves simple, alternate, 2.5-5" long, 1-2" wide, rounded or heart-shaped, glabrous, dark green, often lustrous, 10-14 vein pairs, pilose on veins beneath and with auxiliary tufts of hair, veins seldom forking at ends; petiole-0.25-0.5" long, pubescent. Yellow, orange, red and reddish purple in the fall. Bark is smooth, thin, dark bluish-gray, close fitting, sinewy, fluted with smooth, rounded, longitudinal ridges; wood is dense and hard.

Culture and Care

Performs best in deep, rich, moist, slightly acid soils, but will grow in drier sites. Does well in heavy shade, and is often found as an understory plant in forests. Difficult to transplant, move in winter to early spring. Susceptible to leaf spots, cankers, twig blight, maple Phenococcus scale, two-lined chestnut borer.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

Withstands periodic flooding.

Suggested Uses

Has a lot to offer our landscapes in subtle beauty, will serve as a hedge, screen, formal element.

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA