Ostrya virginiana

American hophornbeam or Eastern hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana), also known as ironwood, is a small to medium-sized native tree renowned for its extremely hard and dense wood, which earned it the nickname “ironwood.” It has an oval to rounded crown and dark green foliage that turns attractive shades of yellow to yellow-brown in autumn. The bark is gray-brown, scaly, and exfoliates into thin vertical strips on mature trees, giving it a rugged and appealing texture. The male flowers are pendulous catkins that appear before the leaves in spring, while the female flowers produce fruits resembling small hop-like cones. This species also demonstrates good tolerance to urban conditions, making it a resilient choice for landscapes.

Soil type: Prefers well-drained soils but tolerates a wide range, including poor, dry, or clay soils. It also adapts well to slightly acidic through slightly alkaline conditions.