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Native Plant Society of Texas

Hornbeam

Carpinus caroliniana

Other common name(s):

Ironwood, Musclewood, Blue Beech, American Hornbeam, Water Beech

Family:

Betulaceae (Alder Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

20
to
30
ft.

Spread

20
to
30
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Well Drained, Moist

Light Requirement

Part Shade, Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland, Wetland or Riparian

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Red, Green, Brown

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fall Color, Seeds, Nectar, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Birds, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Works best as an understory tree in low, shady places, though it will adapt to drier, sunnier sites. It will tolerate periodic flooding. Leaves are occasionally attacked by black mold. Slow growing, don’t prune. The name Hornbeam and Ironwood refer to the extreme hardness of wood. Propagation: seed.

Comments

Blooms March-May. Multi-trunked tree with smooth bluish gray bark with bulges that look like muscles. Leaves resemble elm leaves, with double-toothed edges, yellow fall color. Flowers are borne in green catkins. Male and female flowers are found on the same tree: male catkins are 2 – 6 cm long with boat-shaped scales and develop in fall but remain enclosed in a bud until spring, female catkins are 1 – 2.5 cm long with hairy scales. The fruit is a green nutlet, with a 3-lobed bract like an umbrella over it, hanging in chain-like clusters. Birds and mammals eat seeds, catkins, and inner bark. Larval host: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Red-spotted Purple, and Striped Hairstreak.

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Sow directly in the soil in the fall. Collect nutlets in late summer or early fall when bracts have turned a pale, greenish-brown. Spread on screens to dry, then beat inside a bag to separate seeds from chaff. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CACA18
Seed Stratification Stratify for 2-3 months at 41 degrees. Sow in Spring. Collect nutlets in late summer or early fall when bracts have turned a pale, greenish-brown. Spread on screens to dry, then beat inside a bag to separate seeds from chaff. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CACA18

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason