An easily grown tree with unique, showy seeds! Does best in full or part sun/shade and loamy soil, but young trees tolerate bright shade. Bark is fairly distinctive. Excellent to add variety to a woodland edge. Naturalizes easily.

Pollination: Likely 2+ plants needed.

Light: Full Sun, Part Sun/Shade, Shade

Soil Moisture: Wet Mesic, Mesic, Dry Mesic, Dry

Soil Type: Loam, Clay Loam, Sandy Loam, Rocky Loam

Height: 25’-50’

Width: 20’-40’

Bloom Color: -

Bloom Time: Apr

Fruit: Seeds in winged casings hang in distinctive ‘hop like’ columns.

Fall Color: Yellow, Brown

Root Type: Spreading

Notable Wildlife Interactions: Hosts a variety of moths such as the walnut sphinx and eyed baileya, beetles, plant bugs, and smaller insects. Downy woodpecker, purple finch, and squirrels eat the seeds. Commonly browsed by deer.

Notes: Leaves are often early to drop in the fall. Called ironwood and hornbeam after it’s hard wood that takes a polish well.