Ostrya virginiana and Carpinus caroliniana

Hop Hornbeam, Ostrya virginiana

American Hornbeam, Carpinus caroliniana

Carpinus caroliniana

Common names of plants can cause confusion.  There are at least two trees in the eastern United States that are called "hornbeams" - these two tree species are also both sometimes referred to as "ironwood".  These two tree species are closely related (Betulaceae) and tend to be small to medium sized trees with very similar toothed simple leaves, and wood that is dense and hard.  My dog walk route takes me by both species, and the pictures above were all taken this summer (the two bottom picture I took this week).  On top is the "hop hornbeam" or Ostrya virginiana named because the fruit looks a bit like a completely unrelated species of herbaceous plants, called "hops" that are fermented to make beer. Ostrya virginiana has bark that is flaky and peels.  The bottom two pictures show Carpinus caroliniana which has very smooth bark and whose fruits are a little less compact (bottom left picture).  I like the name "musclewood" or "blue beech" for Carpinus caroliniana better than the common name "American hornbeam" because it tells a little bit about the bark.

I enjoy these two species even if their names are confusing. Not only are they lovely native trees that are often overlooked, but they were the plants that first gave me an image of what beer hops might look like.  Beer hops are Humulus lupulus, and they belong in the Cannabaceae.