Description
Eastern hop-hornbeam, is a slender deciduous tree in the Betulaceae (beech) 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.
It is grown as an ornamental plant and is sometimes used as a street tree. Its wood is very resilient and is valued for making tool handles and fence posts.
Bare root 2′
