Ironwood #2 - Beaver's Nemesis Traditional Cache

The American Hornbeam grows in moist soil and commonly occurs in swamps, along streams, and in wet bottomlands -- boy do we have a lot of those around these parts! The neat thing about this tree is the way that you can identify it even without any leaves. The wood seems to be muscular, almost like someone flexing their forearms! This wood is very hard and tough and is used sometimes for making tool handles and wooden wedges.