Nice stump, it will be interesting to follow its progression
Ostrya virginiana - hop flowered hornbeam, (some call it Carpinus virginiana) in my experience tends to be found in moist to somewhat dry, upland wooded settings. Carpinus carolina - Loose flowered hornbeam - tends to be found in lower, wetter, more mesic woodland settings than Ostrya. I often find Carpinus carolina on secondary flood plains right down to stream banks. Where Ostrya seems to almost always be above the secondary flood plain. They can grow side by side, but for the most part, Ostrya tolerates more sun and drier conditions, Carpinus can tolerate short periods of flooding, and definitely needs more moisture, more shade and more humidity. But certainly both species need growing conditions that have more moisture than one would give a Japanese black pine. They both appreciate a little shade, neither will do well in hot Texas sun. A few hours of morning sun followed by dappled shade is probably best.
If you are in the sand counties in Michigan, look for Carpinus, loose flowered hornbeam, closer to streams, or on large hummocks in the swamps. In an upland setting Michigan's sandy soils can be too dry for many species. If you have oaks nearby, it is too dry for Carpinus. Ostrya likes it more moist than red or black oak, but they can easily grow where white oak grows, which is still somewhat too dry for Carpinus.
