Betulaceae Ostrya virginiana
Family Name
Betulaceae
Common Name
Hop-hornbeam
Native American Name
Lakota: išpáŋšpaŋheča
Description
Ostrya virginiana is a small deciduous, monoecious, understory tree growing to 15 m in height. The older bark is brown to gray-brown, scaly, rough or shaggy. The younger twigs and branches are smoother and gray, with small lenticels. The leaves have a short hairy petiole, the blades are oblong to ovate with a sharp tip, 5–13 cm long and 4–6 cm wide, with a doubly toothed margin. The upper surface is mostly hairless, while the lower surface is sparsely to moderately hairy. The inflorescence consists of male and female catkins. The male catkins are pendulous, 2–5 cm long and the female catkins are 8–15 mm containing 10–30 flowers. The fruit are small nutlets 3–5 mm long and enclosed in a greenish, papery bracts 10–18 mm long and 8–10 mm wide, resembling hops, that turn brown at maturity. Hop-hornbeam blooms in April and May, with fruit maturing in early summer, growing in upland forests of the Black Hills, and southern and eastern South Dakota.
Horticulture Notes
Hophornbeam is a small, slow growing small tree useful for shady locations as well as sunny spots. It is drought and flood tolerant. The fruits attract songbirds and small mammals.
Seed collection: Collect seeds when the bracts have turned brown in late summer and fall.
Germination: Seeds require a warm-cold-warm treatment to germinate. Early fall planting provides an easy approach.
Light: Full sun to shade.
Soils: Rich, well-drained soils.
Water: Dry to moist.
Additional Notes
Hophornbeam is a small, slow growing small tree useful for shady locations as well as sunny spots. It is drought and flood tolerant. The fruits attract songbirds and small mammals.