Ironwood Ostrya virginiana
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Ironwood:
- Phonetic Spelling
- OSS-tree-uh vir-jin-ee-AN-uh
- Description
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Eastern hop-hornbeam, is a slender deciduous tree in the Betulaceae (birch) family. The common name is derived from the hardness of its wood and the hop-like fruit. It is found in dry, rocky forests and sloped areas scattered among the upland and mountain regions of North Carolina, although some larger specimens are found in deep, well-drained soils in mixed stands of bottom land hardwood. With a generally rounded to oval top and horizontal drooping branches it may grow 20 to 35 feet tall and have a trunk diameter or 7 to 10 inches, although some specimens can reach 50 feet with a trunk diameter of 2 feet. A rather slow-growing tree, reaching only 10 to 15 feet tall over 15 years, Eastern hop-hornbeam is a small to medium understory tree that is hardy to zone 3.
The leaves look similar to, and can be confused with birch trees, and its overall form can sometimes be confused with an elm tree. It is easy to grow and succeeds in most soils, although it thrives in any good loam. It does not demand much light and prefers a partial to deep shade. It tolerates drought and heavy clay soils making it low maintenance and appropriate for urban settings.
Showy, shaggy bark provides winter interest and a planted row can be pruned to create an interesting hedge. Plant in a lawn, along a driveway, street, or in a woodland garden. Note that the tree does not tolerate salt and would not do well in a seaside environment.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Pest Problems: No serious insect or disease problems although gypsy moths can be a problem.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ostrya
- Species:
- virginiana
- Family:
- Betulaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The wood is strong, hard, and durable, and was once used for sleigh runners. Often used to make fence posts, fuel, and tool handles. The inner wood was used to treat toothache, sore muscles, and coughs by Native Americans.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern North America and Central America
- Distribution:
- Range from Florida west to Texas, northwest to Wyoming, north to Manitoba, east to Nova Scotia. Native to North Carolina.
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Possible host plant for Red-spotted Purple and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies. Nutlets are eaten by songbirds, wild turkeys, quail, and small mammals. Witches' brooms that commonly occur on this tree provide a home to many invertebrates eaten by songbirds, especially during winter.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Moderately resistant to deer damage. Resistant to fire but sensitive to soil compaction.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 8 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Oval
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Nut
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Female catkins are followed by drooping clusters of sac-like, seed-bearing pods which, as the common name suggests, somewhat resemble the fruit of hops and persist from summer through winter. The ribbed fruit is a 1/4 inch nutlet is enclosed in a dried, leafy, inflated sac.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Catkin
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long-lasting
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Monoecious (male and female) catkins in clusters of three appear on the same tree in April. The male flowers appear as red-brown dropping catkins with scaly bracketed spikes formed from the previous summer; the female flowers appear as light green erect catkins on new twigs. The flowers are not particularly showy, although the male catkins are more prominent and are present throughout winter.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Insignificant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Doubly Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are alternate with a doubly toothed margin and fuzzy stem. Birch-like, oval to lance-shaped, sharply-serrated, dark yellowish-green leaves (to 5 inches long). The leaves turn an undistinguished yellow in autumn and often drop early.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Brown
- Light Brown
- Red/Burgundy
- Surface/Attachment:
- Lenticels
- Scaly
- Shaggy
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Smooth and reddish brown with lenticiles on young trees. Finely divided thin scale peel away from the trunk. On mature trees, the bark is rough textured with loose scaly plates and grayish brown.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The tree top consists of long slender branches that may droop to the ends.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Native Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Specimen
- Street Tree
- Understory Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Deer
- Drought
- Fire
- Insect Pests
- Storm damage
- Wind
