American Hop Hornbeam

Ostrya virginiana

Other Common Names: American Hop-hornbeam, Eastern Hop Hornbeam, Hop Hornbeam, Hop Horn Beam, Ironwood, Leverwood, Wooly Hop Hornbeam

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 3a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Tree

Height at Maturity: 25-40′, depending on pruning

Width at Maturity: 20-30′, depending on pruning

Spacing: 35’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Upright, Rounded

Growth Rate: Moderate

Flower Color: Yellow and Copper

Flower Size: 2-3″ catkin

Flowering Period: Spring

Flower Type: Catkin

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Dark Green, Golden-Yellow in Fall

Fragrant Foliage: No

Fruit: Yes, Seed Bearing Pods

Fruit Color: White to Buff

Sun Needs: Full Sun to Deep Shade!

Water Needs: Average, low when established

Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sandy, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well-Drained, drought tolerant when established

Soil pH: 4.5-8.0 (Acid to Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Very Low

Attracts: Birds, Butterflies, Visual Attention

Resistances: Clay Soil, Deer, Disease, Heat, Humidity, Insects, Dense Shade

Description

Exceptionally versatile in the landscape, the American Hop Hornbeam is happy in full sun or full shade and grows well in all but constantly wet soils. This is a highly attractive North American native tree that anyone can grow, and almost anywhere in the United States (USDA Zones 3a-9b). A small to medium-sized understory tree with a rounded crown, Hop Hornbeam typically grows 25 to 40 feet tall with a slightly smaller spread. It features birch-like, oval to lance-shaped, serrated, dark green leaves that turn a pleasing golden- yellow in fall. The spring flowers (catkins) are not particularly showy, but following the flowers are very attractive drooping clusters of seed-bearing pods that look like hops, hence the name. These pods persist persist from summer through winter to feed many bird species and small mammals. Showy, reddish-brown shaggy bark provides interest in the landscape during winter. Hop Hornbeam is also called Ironwood because of its extremely hard and dense wood.

Wildlife Value

The American Hop Hornbeam is a host plant for Red-spotted Purple and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies. The nutlets produced from the flowers are eaten by songbirds, wild turkeys, quail, and small mammals.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing 25 to 40 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide, the American Hop Hornbeam is a small to medium size tree ideal for use as a specimen, in groupings or staggered or straight rows to line a drive or property line in full sun or dense shade! Also an excellent choice to frame taller homes and other structures or as an understory tree in shady woodland settings. A fine addition to native plant gardens, woodland shade gardens and wildlife gardens.

Suggested Spacing: 35 feet or more apart for space between plants

Growing Preferences

The American Hop Hornbeam is very easy to grow in most any moist but well drained soil and full sun to dense shade. It prefers a moist acidic soil rich in organic matter but also grows well in heavy clay soils. Best flowering comes with more sun. Little pruning is required but responds well to it for shaping purposes.

Plant Long & Prosper!

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