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Tried and True Native Plant Selections
for the Mid-Atlantic
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Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam, Ironwood)
The most climate-adaptable of our native trees, this understory plant is found in both upland and floodplain forests throughout eastern North America.* It is noted both for its multi-season interest and the fluted bark which leads to its alternative name: “Musclewood.”
*It is native in DC, MD, and throughout PA. It is common in DE. In VA, it is common in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont and frequent in the mountains at lower elevations.
Learn more about other Mid-Atlantic plants:
Tried and True Native Plant Fact Sheets