The staminate (male) catkins are 2–5 cm (3⁄4–2 in) long,[5] and arranged in groups of 1–4. Best planted in the spring, this tree has a slow growth rate, gaining around a foot a year. Common Name: American Hophornbeam Family: Betulaceae Zone: 4 - 9 Average Size: 20’H x 15’W Identification: Elm-like leaf, with rounded base and toothed margin; Grayish-brown bark exfoliating as … lasia Fernald. Very young twigs are sparsely fuzzy to thickly hairy; the hairs (trichomes) drop off by the next year. Insects that can affect a hornbeam include maple mealybugs and two-lined chestnut borers. The American Hornbeam grows in moist to wet soils and commonly occurs in swamps, along streams, and in wet bottomlands. That way, it won't outcompete other trees. The American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) is a deciduous hardwood shade tree that's native to eastern North America. Hornbeams prefer fertile, moist, well-draining soil with an acidic to neutral soil pH, though they can tolerate slight alkalinity. [5], Pollinated female flowers develop into small nutlets 3–5 mm (1⁄8–3⁄16 in) long fully enclosed in a papery sac-shaped involucre 10–18 mm (3⁄8–11⁄16 in) long and 8–10 mm (5⁄16–3⁄8 in) wide. The bark is brown to gray-brown, with narrow shaggy plates flaking off, while younger twigs and branches are smoother and gray, with small lenticels. When the weather is hot and dry, give the tree a deep soak once per week. Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, texture, and color Alternate, simple deciduous leaves, 2 to 5 inches long and 1 to 3 inches wide. Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. American … 1). Hophornbeam has a lovely yellow fall color, and the … The tree also may get leaf spots. The bark and inner wood was used to treat toothache, sore muscles, coughs, and many other ailments by American … The leaf margin is serrated It produces dark green summer leaves that turn a variegated orange in the fall. Eastern hophornbeam is a small tree that inhabits hardwood forests across the eastern United States, from northern Florida to southeastern Canada. This shade-tolerant tree slowly grows to 50 feet in height with a 25 to 30-foot spread but is often 25 to 40 feet tall, forming an oval or round canopy (Fig. And they can present with leaf scorch or leaf … A small, slow- growing tree, found in pockets along rivers in eastern North Dakota. [5][7], The flowers are catkins (spikes) produced in early spring at the same time as the new leaves appear. Leaves simple, alternate, oval-laceolate, 5-13 cm long, half as wide, acuminate, rounded or heart-shaped, sharply and doubly serrate, dark green above, paler below. Other than providing regular watering, the hornbeam is relatively low-maintenance. American hornbeam begins to produce seeds at about 15 years and peaks at 25 to 50 years, probably ceasing at about 75 years. Ironwood has a slow growth rate and is reportedly difficult to transplant from a field nursery (although 10-inch-diameter trees were moved with a 90-inch tree spade during the winter in USDA hardiness zone 8b with … Hophornbeam copperleaf is also known as three-seeded mercury. [7], Male catkins hanging from the branches in spring (United States Botanic Garden), Two trees in winter with some dried leaves still hanging on their branches (marcescence), Populations along the Atlantic coast have slightly smaller leaves, and are sometimes separated as O. virginiana var. [7] Additionally, the nutlets and buds are eaten by birds, deer, and rabbits.[1]. The largest tree … The American Hophornbeam, Ostrya virginiana, tree is also known as the: 'Ironwood Tree', principally because of the extremely hard wood that is commercially grown to make tools such as hammer handles and cross bows that are used in archery. Hophornbeam has a lovely yellow fall color, … American hornbeam … The trunk and branches of this tree have ridges that look like muscles. The American hornbeam is extremely resistant to both pests and diseases, so problems rarely arise. Its wood is very resilient and is valued for making tool handles and fence posts. The bark is another feature used to distinguish between these two birches. Hophornbeam copperleaf plants grow erect up to 40 inches tall. Birch Family (Betulaceae) Introduction: A fine-textured tree that is related to the birches, American hornbeam is the only North American native of the genus Carpinus. This tree needs regular watering during dry spells. Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, oval to broadly lanceolate, 3 to 5 inches long, with a doubly serrate margin, green above, paler and fuzzy in the axils of veins and on the petiole. According to Dirr (2009), American Hophornbeam is an attractive tree that the American … (Cdtis occidentalis), American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), and swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) were paired and planted on sites throughout the city of Ithaca, New York. It is used for fence posts, fuel, and tool handles. The leaves of American hornbeam are ovoid, 5 – 10 cm (2 – 3.9 in) long, 3 – 4 cm (1.2 – 1.6 in) broad and pointed. It will grow with an attractive open habit in total shade, but be dense in full sun. Both are understory trees and can grow in shade to partial-shade, share a similar leaf … Zone: 3b - 9a Wet/dry: Prefers moist, but will tolerate … Eastern hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), also called American hophornbeam, hornbeam, leverwood, and "ironwood," is a small, short-lived tree scattered in the understory of hardwood forests. 10 Species of Linden Trees for Your Landscape, How to Grow and Care for a Black Gum Tree. Pyramidal shape with branches upright and spreading. The muscle-like bark is smooth, gray, and fluted. They include: Vanessa Richins Myers is a seasoned horticulturist, garden writer and educator with 10+ years of experience in the horticulture and gardening space. This is also not a very serious issue, and an owner of an American … Nelson Sutherland, C.H. Plants Database. Introduction This shade-tolerant tree slowly grows to 50 feet in height with a 25 to 30-foot spread but is often 25 to 40 feet tall, forming an oval or round canopy. The extremely hard wood of this tree will, as the common name suggests, take a horn-like polish … University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. A handsome tree in many locations, the tree slowly reaches a height and spread of 20 to 30 feet. The American hornbeam is commonly found within the understory of hardwood forests, so it can thrive in partial to full shade. Eastern hop hornbeam, American Hop-hornbeam, Hop hornbeam, Ironwood, Leverwood, Ironwood Hornbeam Tree . Trees of Wisconsin. This tree can form multiple trunks if left to its own devices. Hornbeams grow in a wide range of climates, from Canada to Florida, so they are tolerant of broad temperature differences and seasonal conditions. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. Many gardeners like to use a hornbeam as the focal point in a perennial garden by surrounding it with complementary flowers and mulch. It has a slow to … Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina. While they are able to grow in clay soil, loam is best. Cotyledons are round and pubescent. [7], American hophornbeam is similar to its close relative American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana), which can be distinguished by its smooth bark and nutlets enclosed in open, three-lobed bracts. [5][7] Very young twigs are sparsely fuzzy to thickly hairy; the hairs (trichomes) drop off by the next year. The American … However, hornbeam trees can develop cankers, or dead sections on the bark or branches. The bark is brown to gray-brown, with narrow shaggy plates flaking off, while younger twigs and branches are smoother and gray, with small lenticels. The American hornbeam is extremely resistant to both pests and diseases, so problems rarely arise. Leaves resemble elm but this tree is a member of the Birch family. Also known as American Hop-hornbeam. The upper surface is mostly hairless, while the lower surface is sparsely to moderately fuzzy (rarely densely hairy). The hornbeam is a great tree to add to any landscape, as it's a medium size and resistant to most pests and diseases. [5][6], American hophornbeam is a small deciduous understory tree growing to 18 m (59 ft) tall and 20–50 centimetres (8–20 in) trunk diameter. [5] The involucre changes from greenish-white to dull brown as the fruit matures. American Hophornbeam has potential itself to become an economically important ornamental tree in North America, especially in the Northern Great Plains. Leaf type the leaf … It is part of the Betulaceae (birch) family and has several nicknames, including blue beech, muscle beech, water beech, muscletree, musclewood, and ironwood. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, American hornbeam, blue beech, musclewood, ironwood, water beech, 20 to 25 feet wide and 20 to 35 feet tall. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T194540A2346581.en, World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Southern Research Station (www.srs.fs.fed.us). Oval shaped dark yellowish foliage changing to yellow in fall. Uses The wood of hop hornbeam is hard and durable. For best results, start your American hornbeam from seed on site, or select a young tree from a reputable nursery. [5], The buds and catkins are important source of winter food for some birds, notably ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus). [3] Other names include eastern hophornbeam, hardhack (in New England), ironwood, and leverwood. The American hornbeam has some cultivars with slightly different appearances. The American Hophornbeam can attain leaf blisters that deform leaves. The leaf underside is brighter. The common name comes from the … Ideally it should get around four to six hours of light per day. This small, short-lived tree is common in the understorey of rich, moist woods. University of Connecticut. Ostrya virginiana, the American hophornbeam, is a species of Ostrya native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Manitoba and eastern Wyoming, southeast to northern Florida and southwest to eastern Texas. The American hornbeam looks gorgeous in all seasons. $29,480,00 in 2007 (USDA-NASS, 2009). A small to medium-sized, understory tree with a generally … It is grown as an ornamental plant and is sometimes used as a street tree. It is the largest known tree of its species in the … However, the species is less common in dry climates; at least moderate humidity is preferred for optimal growth. The reference to muscle relates to the tree's characteristic fluted trunk and branches that look like muscle tissue. Eastern Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) This champion Eastern Hophornbeam of Maine made its debut on the National Register of Champion Trees in 2020. (2008). The leaf … The American hop hornbeam is often confused with the American hornbeam. Description Ostrya virginiana, or Hop Hornbeam, is a small and slender deciduous tree with a generally rounded top that may grow 20 to 35 feet tall and 7 to 10 inches in diameter, although some specimens … Other than that, you generally only have to prune to remove dead or diseased branches. Serrated, elliptic-oval, dark green leaves often produce respectable shades of yellow, orange and red in fall. Proper maintenance and appropriate water amounts should prevent this. While it's a slow grower (it can take decades to reach its maximum size), this tree might cause crowding problems for neighboring trees down the road. To establish the roots of a new tree, keep the ground damp for the first two to three years during the growing season. American hornbeam has hard, spherical fruit hanging under leaf-like, 3-lobed bracts. Its wood is very strong and sometimes is used to make tools and other implements. Large seed crops are produced at 3-5-year intervals. Both trees are commonly called ironwood. Installing drip irrigation for summer maintenance is helpful. Description. You can also prune this species to create a formal hedge or living fence. Being a diffuse porous hardwood and having extremely high density and resistance to compression, it is an excellent material for the construction of wooden longbows. And the tree can be difficult to transplant due to its expansive root system, so you'll want to pick an ideal spot from the start. Come winter, its blue-gray bark creates a beautiful contrast to the snow in northern climates. Seeds are mainly dispersed by birds. This species is highly adaptable and can withstand some flooding, but it has a hard time dealing with drought conditions. However, this is not a serious problem and does not need to be controlled. Hop hornbeam gets its name from its fruits, which are enclosed in scales that loosely resemble the hops used in making beer (Humulus lupulus). Difficult to transplant due to deep spreading lateral roots. Seed establishment will occur on leaf … It is also quite adaptable and can tolerate full sun. Hophornbeam (, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ostrya_virginiana&oldid=982280091, Trees of the Great Lakes region (North America), Taxonbars with automatically added basionyms, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, A hophornbeam branch with the characteristic, This page was last edited on 7 October 2020, at 05:48. Medium to dark green leaves with doubly serrate leaf margins and … Poor soil drainage will cause them to grow more slowly. Along those lines, remember to consider its mature size when planting. Tolerates dry, shady sites. So if you'd like your hornbeam to have a single trunk with foliage growing above, make sure to prune it to have only one central leader. This works well for adding privacy to your yard without the eyesore of a tall fence. Male flowers in catkins grouped in threes, … Eastern hophornbeam has loose strips of reddish brown to gray creating a rough, "clawed" bark. Best in slightly acid soil that is moist, cool and fertile. The Eastern Ironwood, known also as the American Hophornbeam, Eastern Hop-hornbeam, Hophornbeam, Ironwood, or Leverwood, stretches over much of the Eastern United States with its … And they can present with leaf scorch or leaf spots. A layer of mulch over the roots will help to retain soil moisture. So if you notice damaged foliage, they might be the culprits. American Hophornbeam Ostrya virginiana Height: 40’ Spread: 25’ Site characteristics: Dry-moist and moist valley bottoms and lower slopes. Plant in the spring. [7] The pistillate (female) catkins are 8–15 mm (5⁄16–19⁄32 in) long, containing 10–30 flowers each. American hophornbeam is a small deciduous understory tree growing to 18 m (59 ft) tall and 20–50 centimetres (8–20 in) trunk diameter. Older leaves are simple, alternate, egg or diamond-shaped, with serrated margins. This tree grows throughout the eastern United States, westward to eastern … American hornbeams typically do not need fertilizer, especially when the ground around the tree has grass that is fertilized. [8], The leaves are ovoid-acute, 5–13 cm (2–5 in) long and 4–6 cm (1 1⁄2–2 1⁄4 in) broad, pinnately veined, with a doubly serrated margin. The American Hophornbeam Tree (Ostrya virginiana) is a deciduous tree which usually occurs in dry soils on rocky slopes, upland woods and bluffs. Half of the trees were … However, hornbeam trees can develop cankers, or dead sections on the bark or branches. Regular pruning will be necessary to maintain the hedge shape. 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