
American Hornbeam
About American Hornbeam
American Hornbeam is a deciduous tree that can grow 30 feet tall. It can be found naturally in areas with moist soil including streambanks, riverbanks, and maritime forests. The leaves alternate with a doubly toothed margin and the bark is smooth, gray to bluish-gray. The extremely hard wood of this tree will take a horn-like polish and was used by early Americans to make bowls, tool handles and ox yokes. Commercial use of hornbeam wood is not practical due to the limited amount of wood per tree.
Taxonomy
Carpinus caroliniana
Carpinus
Betulaceae
Fagales
Also known as
American hornbeam, blue-beech and musclewood

How to care for American Hornbeam
How often to water your American Hornbeam

every 9
American Hornbeam needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9
Finding light for American Hornbeam in your home

a window
American Hornbeam love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.
Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
American Hornbeam does not tolerate low-light 🚫.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of American Hornbeam in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize American Hornbeam

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your American Hornbeam after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
Care Summary for American Hornbeam
American Hornbeam
Greg recommends:

0.5 cups every 9 days

< 1ft from a window

Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
