Description
Hophornbeam is a small deciduous understory tree.
It has a finely branched rounded crown. The trunk is up to 2 across. On mature trees, the bark of the trunk is rough-textured and grayish brown, dividing into narrow rectangular strips; this provides the trunk with a slightly shaggy appearance.
The bark of smaller branches is more smooth and gray with small lenticels. The alternate leaves are ovate, pinnately veined, and doubly serrated.Hop Hornbeam is usually monoecious, the same tree has separate male and female flowers in the form of catkins. On rare occasions, some trees are unisexual.Plant Specifications
| Common Name | Eastern hophornbeam, American hophornbeam, hardhack |
| Maximum Reachable Height | 25 to 60 feet |
| Flower Colour | White, Yellow, Green, Brown |
| Bloom Time | Spring |
| Difficulty Level | Easy to grow |
Planting and care
Hophornbeam care
American hophornbeam likes full sun or partial shade. It prefers slightly acidic soil and well-drained sites. It loves hilly areas, and in the wild, often grows in fairly dry, even rocky soil. It is hardy in Zones 3 to 9.
The tree should be mulched and watered until it is established. Although it is not sensitive to drought, it can not survive flooding. It is also very sensitive to deicing salt.
| Sunlight | Sun, Part Shade, Shade |
| Watering | Low |
| Soil | Rich, well-drained soil |
| Temperature | 13 degrees C (56 degrees F) |
| Fertilizer | Apply any organic fertilizer |
Hophornbeam special feature
No serious insect or disease problems. Some food value to songbirds and small mammals.
Hophornbeam uses
Ornamental Use:
- It is grown as an ornamental plant and is sometimes used as a street tree