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NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Ostrya virginiana

American Hop-hornbeam, Eastern Hop Hornbeam

Scientific Name:

Ostrya virginiana

Genus:

Ostrya

Species Epithet:

virginiana

Common Name:

American Hop-hornbeam, Eastern Hop Hornbeam

Plant Type

Tree

Life Cycle

Perennial

Plant Family

Betulaceae (Birch Family)

Native/Alien:

NC Native

Invasive Status:

(*Key)

Size:

12-36 ft., 36-72 ft.

Light:

Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day, Less than 2 hours of sun per day

Soil Moisture:

Dry, Moist

Bloom Time:

April, May

Growing Area:

Mountains, Piedmont, Sandhills, Coastal Plain

Habitat Description:

Mesic to dry forests, often rocky, especially over basic rocks, reaching high elevations. Fairly common to common over most of the mountains and Piedmont, but a mysterious scarcity of records for the west-central Piedmont. Is this an artifact of collection, or is this a real anomaly? At any rate, in must be considered rare or very infrequent in this zone of the Piedmont. Infrequent in the western Coastal Plain, including the Sandhills, and rare and local elsewhere in the Coastal Plain.

Leaf Arrangement:

Alternate

Leaf Retention:

Deciduous

Leaf Type:

Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like

Leaf Form:

Simple

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Wildlife Value:

Highest Wildlife Value

Landscape Value:

Recommended and Available

State Rank:

S5: Secure (*Key)

Global Rank:

G5 - Secure (*Key)

Female catkins resemble the fruit of hops, hence the common name

Cultivated specimen in Buncombe County, NC

The Scientific Name is Ostrya virginiana. You will likely hear them called American Hop-hornbeam, Eastern Hop Hornbeam. This picture shows the Female catkins resemble the fruit of hops, hence the common name of Ostrya virginiana

Larry Mellichamp

This is a small to rarely medium-sized deciduous tree commonly used as a street tree.

Mecklenburg County, NC

The Scientific Name is Ostrya virginiana. You will likely hear them called American Hop-hornbeam, Eastern Hop Hornbeam. This picture shows the This is a small to rarely medium-sized deciduous tree commonly used as a street tree. of Ostrya virginiana

Larry Mellichamp

Note the dry paper covering around the fruits, the immature male catkins, and the two-toned green and brown buds (Carpinus caroliniana has brown buds).

Mecklenburg County, NC

The Scientific Name is Ostrya virginiana. You will likely hear them called American Hop-hornbeam, Eastern Hop Hornbeam. This picture shows the Note the dry paper covering around the fruits, the immature male catkins, and the two-toned green and brown buds (Carpinus caroliniana has brown buds). of Ostrya virginiana

Larry Mellichamp

Sharply serrated leaves

Chatham County, NC

The Scientific Name is Ostrya virginiana. You will likely hear them called American Hop-hornbeam, Eastern Hop Hornbeam. This picture shows the Sharply serrated leaves of Ostrya virginiana

Larry Mellichamp

Bark that has long and narrow vertical plates that are loose and shaggy on the ends -"vertical shreddy catch scratch bark"

Mecklenburg Co, NC, cultivated

The Scientific Name is Ostrya virginiana. You will likely hear them called American Hop-hornbeam, Eastern Hop Hornbeam. This picture shows the Bark that has long and narrow vertical plates that are loose and shaggy on the ends -

Larry Mellichamp

Links:

USDA PLANTS Database Record



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