Carpinus caroliniana / American hornbeam

An attractively shaped, slow-growing, low-maintenance understory tree for shady sites. Dense branching and lush foliage offer excellent nesting sites for songbirds. Small, winged seeds are a favorite food for finches, cardinals, and wild turkeys. The leaves support over 60 species of butterflies and moths.

The smooth trunk and larger branches have a distinctive muscle-like fluting, giving the tree another common name of musclewood.

Zone: 3-9