The wood of hornbeams is very hard, giving rise to the name ironwood and not used much due to the difficulty of working it. Its hardness has however lent it to use for carving boards, tool handles, coach wheels and other situations where a very tough, hard wood is required.

Hornbeams are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Autumnal Moth, Common Emerald, Feathered Thorn, Svensson's Copper Underwing and Winter Moth (recorded on European Hornbeam) as well as the Coleophora case-bearers C. currucipennella and C. ostryae.

This specimen is approximately 20 years old. It is located on the east side of the Morton Arboretum at Lisle, Illinois, USA. There is very little literature available on this species.