Blue Beech (Carpinus caroliniana)
Light: Full Sun to Full Shade (very shade tolerant)
Moisture: Moist; well-drained
Soil: Loam; can tolerate clay
Mature Height: Small to Medium (20-40 feet)
Blue Beech trees are adaptable and thrive in urban conditions. It has a smooth, bluish-gray trunk that has an appearance of flexed muscles, hence the common name “muscle-wood.” The tree produces both male and female flowers on the same tree (yellow catkins containing male reproductive organs that remain during the winter, and shorter green catkins in the spring containing female ones). On windy days, the tree can self-pollinate.
