Carpinus caroliniana
Common name: Blue Beech
One of the best mid-sized trees with smooth, gray, fluted bark. The flowers are in the form of catkins and are not highly visible. The fruit hangs in 4-6 inch clusters. Fall color can be red, yellow, and orange. The tree is highly adaptable to different soils and pH. In full sun it will grow in a formal, upright character, but if grown in shade it will have a more loose, informal shape. Many people have used this tree as a screen or even a clipped hedge. Blue Beech is part of the birch family.
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Plant Details
Plant type
Trees
Soil type
Dry Mesic, Mesic (Not too Wet Not too Dry), Moist Mesic
Light exposure
Eastern Exposure / Morning Sun, Full Sun, High Canopy Shade (Usually from oaks), Partial Sun / Part Shade
Bloom period
Spring
Urban environment
Uncompacted Urban Soils, Harsh Exposure Tolerant, Compacted/New Construction Soils, Yards that Flood
Habitat
Floodplain, Moist Woods, Savannas, Woodlands
Growth form
Shrubby/Clump, Single trunk
Growth rate
Moderate
Flower color
Yellowish Catkin
Fall color
Orange Red
Size
- Mature height
- 15 Feet
- Mature width
- 10 Feet
- Max height
- 25 Feet
- Max width
- 20 Feet
Additional information
Great for Screening/Border Plantings Loved by birds