| The American Hornbeam is a great plant for | | | | improve the quality of your habitat. I |
| wildlife improvement. Sportsmen should take | | | | suggest these companion plants with the |
| careful note of this plant. Deer will browse | | | | Hornbeam: Black Cherry, Sugar Maple, White |
| this tree but it is not preferred. This is a | | | | Oak, Black Oak, Northern , Red Oak, River |
| key to its success as a wildlife improvement | | | | Birch, Sycamore, Pin Oak, and Sweetgum. |
| plant. If you plant a small apple tree and it | | | | |
| grows backwards, what have you accomplished? | | | | If you are establishing a large stand you |
| The Hornbean is going to make it. That's a | | | | will want to buy seedlings and smaller |
| great consideration when establishing or | | | | plants. These available usually in the |
| imporoving a wildlife habitat. American | | | | spring. We do recommend trees 10-15' in |
| Hornbeam is an important native food of gray | | | | height which we are balled and burlapped |
| squirrels. Hornbaeams are important sources | | | | throughout the season. |
| for other small game animals such as grouse | | | | |
| and turkeys. Its branching attracts many song | | | | Hornbeam is a desirable deer food and growth |
| birds for it makes great cover. Rabbits and | | | | will not be completely suppressed in areas of |
| beavers also like it stems. | | | | excessive deer populations(over 10 deer per |
| | | | square mile of forest cover). The deer work |
| Native Range of the American Hornbeam: | | | | this plant. If you plant seedlings in high |
| | | | deer population area you should use spray |
| American hornbeam is native to much of the | | | | repellants and use deer guards. For a one |
| eastern United States. This plant can stand a | | | | acre deer plot of just Hornbeams, I would |
| wide variety of soil conditions. Wet soils | | | | suggest in a high deer population area you |
| can be used but not bog like in wetness. The | | | | will need to plant 2000-3000 tree seedlings |
| roots do need to dry out so they don't rot. | | | | per acre to get enough saplings to withstand |
| The water table where this plant is located | | | | deer browsing pressure. After being |
| may have a high fluctuating water table. A | | | | established, this plot will become what I |
| good loam on the surface helps this plant | | | | call Legal Deer Bait. It will attract and |
| greatly. This plant can take some flooding. | | | | support deer. It will become a thicket that |
| American Hornbeam is typically an understory | | | | deer will return to all season long. |
| species and rarely occurs in the overstory or | | | | |
| dominates a stand. Thus, plant this with | | | | We would be glad to assist you with design, |
| other companion plants and increase the | | | | use of our loaner transplanters, and |
| diversity of your habitat. This will greatly | | | | seedlings for your plot. |