Ironwood vs. Hornbeam — What's the Difference?

Ironwood is a common name for many woods or plants that have a reputation for hardness, or specifically a wood density that is heavier than water (approximately 1000 kg/m3, or 62 pounds per cubic foot), although usage of the name ironwood in English may or may not indicate a tree that yields such heavy wood.

Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the flowering plant genus Carpinus in the birch family Betulaceae. The 30–40 species occur across much of the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Any of numerous trees, such as the hornbeam and the hop hornbeam, that have very hard wood.

Any of various small deciduous trees of the genus Carpinus, having smooth grayish bark, small nuts borne in leaflike bracts, and hard wood.

The wood of any of these trees.

The wood of one of these trees.

Any of numerous tree species known locally for having a particularly solid wood, or the wood of such species itself.

A tree of the genus Carpinus, having a smooth gray bark and a ridged trunk, the wood being white and very hard, common along the banks of streams in the United States.

(AU) Acacia esthrophiolata, Acacia excelsa, Acacia melanoxylon, Acacia stenophylla, or Erythrophleum chlorostachys.

A hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana).

Aegiphilia martinicensis

The wood of these trees.

Afzelia africana

A tree of the genus Carpinus (Carpinus Americana), having a smooth gray bark and a ridged trunk, the wood being white and very hard. It is common along the banks of streams in the United States, and is also called ironwood. The English hornbeam is Carpinus Betulus. The American is called also blue beech and water beech.

Astronium spp.

Any of several trees or shrubs of the genus Carpinus

Backhousia myrtifolia

Carpinus caroliniana

Casuarina cristata

Chionanthus caymanensis

Cliftonia monophylla

Colubrina elliptica

Combretum imberbe

Cordia subcordata

Cyrilla racemiflora

Dialium guianense

Exothea paniculata

Foresteria pubescens

Gordonia haematoxylon

Gymnostoma sumatranum

Heritiera spp.

Jacquinia keyensis

Metrosideros spp.

Myracrodruon urundeuva

Paubrasilia echinata

Prunus africana

Schinopsis spp.

Schleichera oleosa

Senegalia muricata

Sideroxylon spp.

Sloania spp.

Swartzia spp.

Terminalia canescens

Thouina striata

Vachellia farnesiana

A tree unusually hard, strong, or heavy wood.

Handsome East Indian evergreen tree often planted as an ornamental for its fragrant white flowers that yield a perfume; source of very heavy hardwood used for railroad ties

Exceptionally tough or hard wood of any of a number of ironwood trees

A small slow-growing deciduous tree of northern Iran having a low domed shape

Medium-sized hop hornbeam of eastern North America