American Hornbeam

Handy Gardening Secrets trees  


American Hornbeam

The American Hornbeam tree, Carpinus caroliniana, is a shade tolerant under story tree. American Hornbeam trees are also known by the common names of Musclewood, Ironwood, Blue Beech, and Water Beech trees. The word "hornbeam" comes from the words "horn" for "toughness" and "beam" an old English word for "tree" and refers to this tree's very hard, tough, wood. This deciduous species provides nuts that are eaten by many birds such as grouse, bobwhite, pheasant and wild turkey. Cottontail rabbits and deer nibble on the shoots of this tree. Carpinus caroliniana exhibits leaves that are thin and beautifully translucent. This shade tree will provide cool, dense shade in the summer because of its many leaves giving a dense appearance. In late autumn the leaves turn deep scarlet and orange providing good fall color tree. ... more info

 

Princeton Sentry Ginkgo The fall color is brilliant yellow. Use this tree for large and small lawns, buffer strips or median plantings and as a street tree. Ginkgo are not native to North America, rather they are indigenous to China, Japan, and Korea, where they may still exist in remote mountainous parts. Today the tree is often planted in cities because of its remarkable resistance to urban smog and to insect pests. They prefer moist, sandy, well-drained soils. It is tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, including both alkaline and acidic soils and compacted soils. Also tolerant of saline conditions, air pollution and heat.

American Hornbeam