Hop Hornbeam

Hop Hornbeam is a tough understory tree with beautiful birch-like leaves, grayish-brown flaky bark, fine-textured drooping branches, and attractive hop-like fruits. Hop hornbeam gets its name from its fruits, which are enclosed in scales that loosely resemble the hops used in making beer (Humulus lupulus). The flowers are catkins (spikes) produced in early spring at the same time as the new leaves appear.This small, short-lived tree is common in the understory of rich, moist woods. The wood is dense, heavy, and hard to work. Hop Hornbeam is considered one of Illinois’ toughest native hardwoods and is not only ornamental but resistant to many disease and insect problems. Excellent tree for naturalized landscapes.

This species is native to the Chicago region according to Swink and Wilhelm’s Plants of the Chicago Region, with updates made according to current research.

Soil type: Alkaline soil

Soil moisture: Dry site

Sun exposure: Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)

Height: Medium tree (25-40 feet), Large tree (more than 40 feet)

Bloom Color: Inconspicuous

Bloom Time: Midsummer, late summer, early fall

Benefits: Many insects use Hop Hornbeam as a source of food by boring through the wood, sucking the sap, eating the leaves, etc. These insects include the larvae of metallic wood-boring beetles, larvae of long-horned beetles, weevils, plant bugs, leafhoppers, armored scales, larvae of sawflies, and larvae of moths. The nutlets of this small tree are a source of food for several bird species. This includes the Ruffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, Ring-necked Pheasant, Bobwhite Quail, Purple Finch, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Some of these birds also feed on the buds and catkins of this tree also. Mammals that are known to eat the nutlets include the White-footed Mouse, Deer Mouse, and Fox Squirrel, while White-tailed Deer feed on the twigs during winter.

(Sources: mortonarb.com / leavesforwildlife.com /vplant.org / inaturalist.org, gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org)