Eastern hop-hornbeam, is a slender deciduous tree in the Betulaceae (birch) family. The common name is derived from the hardness of its wood and the hop-like fruit. It is found in dry, rocky forests and sloped areas scattered among the upland and mountain regions of North Carolina, although some larger specimens are found in deep, well-drained soils in mixed stands of bottom land hardwood. With a generally rounded to oval top and horizontal drooping branches it may grow 20 to 35 feet tall and have a trunk diameter or 7 to 10 inches, although some specimens can reach 50 feet with a trunk diameter of 2 feet. A rather slow-growing tree, reaching only 10 to 15 feet tall over 15 years, Eastern hop-hornbeam is a small to medium understory tree that is hardy to zone 3. The leaves look similar to, and can be confused with birch trees, and its overall form can sometimes be confused with an elm tree. It is easy to grow and succeeds in most soils, although it thrives in any good loam. It does not demand much light and prefers a partial to deep shade. It tolerates drought and heavy clay soils making it low maintenance and appropriate for urban settings. Showy, shaggy bark provides winter interest and a planted row can be pruned to create an interesting hedge. Plant in a lawn, along a driveway, street, or in a woodland garden. Note that the tree does not tolerate salt and would not do well in a seaside environment. Insects, Diseases, and Other Pest Problems: No serious insect or disease problems although gypsy moths can be a problem.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12-24 feet; 24-60 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 8 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Oval; Pyramidal; Rounded
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Oblong; Ovate
Leaf margin
Doubly Serrate
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
The leaves are alternate with a doubly toothed margin and fuzzy stem. Birch-like, oval to lance-shaped, sharply-serrated, dark yellowish-green leaves (to 5 inches long). The leaves turn an undistinguished yellow in autumn and often drop early.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Insignificant
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower value
Long-lasting
Flower form
Catkin
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Monoecious (male and female) catkins in clusters of three appear on the same tree in April. The male flowers appear as red-brown dropping catkins with scaly bracketed spikes formed from the previous summer; the female flowers appear as light green erect catkins on new twigs. The flowers are not particularly showy, although the male catkins are more prominent and are present throughout winter.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
Female catkins are followed by drooping clusters of sac-like, seed-bearing pods which, as the common name suggests, somewhat resemble the fruit of hops and persist from summer through winter. The ribbed fruit is a 1/4 inch nutlet is enclosed in a dried, leafy, inflated sac.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Light Brown; Red/Burgundy
Bark detail
Smooth and reddish brown with lenticiles on young trees. Finely divided thin scale peel away from the trunk. On mature trees, the bark is rough textured with loose scaly plates and grayish brown.
Stem detail
The tree top consists of long slender branches that may droop to the ends.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern North America and Central America
Distribution
Range from Florida west to Texas, northwest to Wyoming, north to Manitoba, east to Nova Scotia. Native to North Carolina.
Wildlife value
Possible host plant for Red-spotted Purple and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies. Nutlets are eaten by songbirds, wild turkeys, quail, and small mammals. Witches' brooms that commonly occur on this tree provide a home to many invertebrates eaten by songbirds, especially during winter.
Attracts
Butterflies; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Play value
Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer; Winter
Fruit type
Nut
Uses (ethnobotany)
The wood is strong, hard, and durable, and was once used for sleigh runners. Often used to make fence posts, fuel, and tool handles. The inner wood was used to treat toothache, sore muscles, and coughs by Native Americans.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Woodland
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Native Garden
Design feature
Shade Tree; Specimen; Street Tree; Understory Tree
Garden tags
#small tree #deciduous #low maintenance #street tree #lawn tree #shade tree #deer resistant #drought tolerant #fire low flammability #showy fruits #Braham Arboretum #native garden #native tree #NC native #food source herbage #clay soils tolerant #bird friendly #butterfly friendly #FACU Piedmont Mountains #larval host plant #Audubon #food source hard mast fruit #interesting bark #Coastal FACU #understory tree #storm damage resistant #wind tolerant #wildlife friendly #woodland #HS303