MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS News) - The UT-TSU Agricultural Extension Service at the Lane Agri-Park is reminding residents that winter interest is often overlooked when choosing ornamental trees, even though the right selection can keep a landscape attractive all year long. Their advice is simple: think in terms of “four-season trees,” species that offer something beautiful in spring, summer, fall and winter.

The idea is a kind of landscape efficiency. Instead of planting different trees for different seasons, homeowners can choose varieties that evolve gracefully throughout the year. Many deciduous trees reveal striking branching patterns once their leaves drop, adding sculptural elegance to the winter garden.

Among the standouts is the hornbeam, or Carpinus, a member of the birch family known for its subtle seasonal transitions. Two species are commonly available: the European hornbeam, C. betulus, and Tennessee’s native American hornbeam, C. caroliniana. Both are small understory trees, typically 20 to 40 feet tall, with smooth bark and fluted trunks that give them the nickname “musclewood.”

In spring, hornbeams produce bright green leaves and dangling catkins that resemble ornaments. By summer, the leaves deepen in color and provide food for several butterfly and moth species. The American hornbeam tends to form an upright, spreading canopy, while the European version is more oval and uniform. Gardeners can also find columnar, weeping and narrow screening varieties, all of which respond well to pruning and can even be shaped into dense hedges.

Fall color is usually golden, though some American hornbeam cultivars—such as Ball O’ Fire, Firespire and Palisade—offer rich red tones. Winter reveals the tree’s true four-season charm, with its sinuous branches and graceful structure standing out against the dormant landscape.

The Lane Agri-Park Extension office, located at 315 John R. Rice Blvd., also encourages residents to bring soil samples for testing, noting that winter is an ideal time due to shorter lab wait times in Nashville. Phone them at (615) 898-7710 for more information, or visit the Winter-Spring Farmers Market at the Lane Agri-Park on Friday mornings from 8:00AM - noon and talk with the Master Gardeners.