| Description | Ironwood or Hophorn beam (Ostrya virginiana) is a small to medium size native tree. Know for having very hard wood. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (OS-tri-a)(ver-jin-ee-A-na) |
| Plant Type | All Plants, Trees Deciduous |
| Hardiness Zone | 4-7 |
| Sunlight | since it grows as an under story plant will tolerate some shade |
| Moisture | drier slope in its native sites |
| Soil & Site | average |
| Flowers | male and female catkins |
| Fruit | Resembles the Hop's plant fruit, hence the name Hophornbeam, forms small nuts in papery sacs. Has very strong wood hence the name Ironwood. |
| Leaves | simple, alternate, oval-lanceolate, dull below and doubly or coarsely toothed,dark green during the summer and yellow in the fall, may hold on to some leaves during the winter. |
| Stems | soft grayish bark |
| Roots | deep tap root |
| Dimensions | small tree, 25-35 feet, spread of 20 feet, broad rounded or conical growth form |
| Propagation | seeds |
| Native Site | Native to the United States. |
| Misc Facts | wood is very strong and heavy hence the name "Ironwood" |
| Notes & Reference | #01-Manual of Woody Landscape Plants (Michael Dirr), #184-Michigan Trees (Burton V. Barnes, Wreren H. Wagner) |
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