Hophornbeam =American hornbeam?

[pine nut]

I keyed out a twig specimen I found in the Altamaha swamp to be Blue Beech which is the same thing as American Hornbeam.  Is this the same as Hophornbeam?  It has a bit of an elm look to it leafwise and has a fairly slick bark.  Anybody know?  Apex and I were hunting and he asked me if it was a wild crabapple.  I broke a piece and brought it home to check.  I doubt this pocket size tree book is the end all of books to consult but just wondering.  It is fairly abundant in the low areas of south GA.  Thanks

[Eric Krewson]

Nope, hop hornbeam is a different kind of tree, very common in the south. It has a bark like a shag bark hickory in miniature. Its shaggy projections will be 3/8th to 1/2" long and be paper thin. Often it has what looks like muscles under the bark, hence the nickname "muscle wood".

[Pat B]

Pinenut, what you have there is hornbeam(Carpinus caroliniana). It is also called muscle wood because the bark looks like a muscular limb. It will make a bow but it is not as good, in my opinion, as hop hornbeam(Ostrya virginiana), which works similar to hickory. You should be able to find HHB there also.
   Pat

[pine nut]

Pat B,  I see that Ostrya virginiana on the same page in my book "Tree Finder".  They call it
ironwood, and it lists the american hornbeam as Carpinus caroliniana.  Thanks for the information Pat and Eric

[Shaun]

Yes, ironwood is hophornbeam also called lever wood by some. It tends to spiral, so check the bark for straight lengthwise grain as well as straight trunk. This sounds mysterious, but is not. If you look at several, you will see the barber pole bark pattern on many and then can look for a straight one.

[pine nut]

Seems like they both have that "muscle wood "look.  Thanks for the info.  Bill

[Pat B]

Hornbeam has a smooth bark and HHB has a scaly bark.     Pat

[Roy Steele]

Thanks for all the info.Hornbeam makes a good bow.