American
hornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana, is in
the birch family, coincidentally the leaves are similar, but the nutlet is
partially enclosed in leafy bracts rather than in a cone like structure of the
birches (Betula) and alders (Alnus). The common name
blue-beech is due to the smooth gray bark resembling that of beech (Fagus), but it has
an underlying texture giving the trunk the appearance of having flexed muscles
earning it an additional common name of musclewood. The wood is also rather hard which is suitable for tool handles and leads to the common name of ironwood same as hophornbeam (Ostrya). American hornbeam is an understory tree that is often found
near streams. The state
champion hornbeam in