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Hornbeam
Carpinus caroliniana

a.k.a. Blue Beech

Blue Beech (which is not a true Beech but in the Birch family), is a smaller tree that can produce multiple stems, giving it a shrub-like appearance. A good shade garden plant.

USDA symbol: CACA18

General Information

Plant TypeTree
Height25 to 30 feet
Light ExposureSun, Part Sun
Soil MoistureDry
Bloom ColorYellow, Red, Green
Hornbeam (Hornbeam<div><em class="small">Carpinus caroliniana</em></div>)
Photo credit: Metro Blooms (Click to enlarge)

Tolerances

Flooding / Inundation ToleranceLow
General Resilience6
Salt ToleranceNone

Pollinator Value: Medium

Bloom MonthsApril to May

Project Planning

Project TypeRain Garden, Shoreline Buffer
Coefficient of Conservatism7
Herbivore SensitivityLow
LifespanPerennial
Rate of SpreadSlow
Soil StabilizationDeep
Vegetative ReproductionClonal

Range

CountyAitkin, Anoka, Becker, Benton, Blue Earth, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Le Sueur, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Nicollet, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pine, Polk, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Todd, Wabasha, Wadena, Washington, Winona
EcoregionDriftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains
Approximate Eco ProvinceEastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands