• Ostrya virginiana (Ironwood) native plant in bloom
  • Ostrya virginiana (Ironwood) native plant in bloom
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Ostrya virginiana (Ironwood)

Ostrya virginiana (Ironwood)

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Pure Live Seed

Seed is provided in Pure Live Seed (PLS) unless otherwise stated.

Pure Live Seed (PLS) refers to the percentage of a seed lot that consists of the desired species and is viable (capable of germination).   

Here's why PLS is crucial for native seeds:

  • Accurate Planting:
    • PLS helps determine the actual number of viable seeds in a given weight or volume of seed.   
    • This ensures you plant the correct amount of seed to achieve the desired density and success rate.   
  • Cost-Effectiveness:
    • By knowing the PLS, you can avoid overspending on seed that may not germinate.
    • This is especially important for native seeds, which can be more expensive than some cultivated varieties.
  • Weed Control:
    • PLS helps minimize the presence of weed seeds within the seed lot.
    • This reduces competition for resources and ensures the successful establishment of the desired native plants.
  • Ecological Restoration:
    • Using high-quality native seeds with a high PLS is essential for successful ecological restoration projects.
    • It helps to re-establish diverse and resilient plant communities that support local wildlife.

Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.

0.01 pounds = 0.16 ounces

  • 0.1 pounds = 1.6 ounces
  • 0.25 pounds  = 4 ounces
  • 0.5 pounds = 8 ounces
  • 0.75 pounds = 12 ounces
  • 1.00 pounds = 16 ounces

Hop hornbeam grows slowly into a modest tree with a finely branched crown. It accommodates varied soils and moisture levels, offering a smaller tree form where a giant canopy is unsuitable.

For Ostrya virginiana, choose full sun to light shade and moist to dry soil. Recorded habitats include mesic to dry deciduous woods; Woodland edges; Limestone glades; Rocky wooded slopes; Cliff and wooded-bluff edges. Reported height: up to 50 ft.

Leave room for the mature branches beside paths and nearby plantings. Growth habit: finely branched, rounded crown; reproduces into new areas by reseeding. Root structure: woody roots.

Plant specifications & ecological relationships

Key growing facts

Sunlight Full sun to light shade
Soil moisture Moist to dry
Height Up to 50 ft
Bloom season Mid- to late spring
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
Growth habit Finely branched, rounded crown; reproduces into new areas by reseeding
Root form Woody roots
Soil pH Published cultivation guidance lists acidic, alkaline, neutral soil conditions; no optimal numeric interval is established.
Cultivation hardiness zones Zones 3a–9b (general cultivation guidance)
Drought tolerance Drought tolerance reported in cultivation guidance; establishment needs and duration are not specified.
Deer browsing White-tailed deer browse twigs in winter.
Salt tolerance None

Plant identification & seed reference

Botanical name Ostrya virginiana
Other common names hop hornbeam; American Hop-hornbeam; Eastern Hop Hornbeam; Hop Hornbeam; Hop Horn Beam; Ironwood; Leverwood; Wooly Hop hornbeam
Seed germination USDA lists cold stratification as required; duration is not specified.
Plant family Betulaceae
Seeds per pound — reference estimate 30000

Plant characteristics

Ostrya virginiana (Ironwood) is a native understory tree typically found on dry rocky slopes of our oak woodlands.  It can be used extremely well in shade and woodland gardens for that sub-canopy naturalized texture.  It can also perform well as mid-level visual screens.  This tree gets its common name from the extremely hard and dense wood. Another common name, Eastern Hop Hornbeam comes from it's hop-like seed pods.

  • Flower Color Green
    • Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associates

    Other documented plant associations

    These published associations show how this plant fits into natural vegetation. The region and community are identified for each list; moisture, shade and flooding can differ within a community.

    Tree and shrub associates of eastern hophornbeam

    Species-range synthesis; localities vary

    Small trees, shrubs and vines associated with northern red oak

    Eastern North America; species-range synthesis

    Understory tree associates

    Much of the American hornbeam range

    Other regional plant communities

    These plants are named with this species in published vegetation accounts. Each list keeps its community and region; some records describe a shared vegetation type rather than neighboring plants in a measured plot. They are ecological records, not a planting recipe, and may include plants unsuitable for a particular garden.

    Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value
    Wetland indicator — NWPL 2022 Midwest FACU
    C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 5
    Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 Yes
    Native range — U.S. states Alabama; Arkansas; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Nebraska; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Vermont; Virginia; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming
    County nativity Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity.
    Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlife

    Caterpillars & other plant-feeding insects

    This plant has published caterpillar host records for the butterflies and moths listed below. These are larval feeding relationships, separate from adult nectar visits. The records span a North American literature compilation and do not establish that every insect occurs locally or uses only this plant.

    Moths

    • Acrobasis kylesi
    • Acrobasis ostryella
    • Acrobasis sylviella — Ironwood Tubemaker
    • Acronicta interrupta — Interrupted Dagger
    • Alsophila pometaria — Fall Cankerworm Moth
    • Amphipyra pyramidoides — Miranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
    • Ancylis laciniana
    • Argyrotaenia alisellana — White-Spotted Leaf Roller
    • Baileya ophthalmica — Eyed Baileya
    • Cameraria hamadryadella — Solitary Oak Leafminer Moth
    • Cenopis niveana — Aproned Cenopis Moth
    • Chionodes formosella — Spring Oak Leafroller
    • Choristoneura rosaceana — Oblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
    • Coleophora ostryae
    • Dasychira obliquata — Streaked Tussock Moth
    • Dasychira tephra — Tephra Tussock Moth
    • Eacles imperialis — Imperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
    • Ectoedemia quadrinotata
    • Eupithecia swettii
    • Halysidota tessellaris — Banded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
    • Hypena palparia — Mottled Bomolocha, Variegated Snout
    • Kocakina fidelis — Intractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
    • Lambdina fervidaria — Curve-Lined Looper Moth
    • Lithophane antennata — Ashen Pinion
    • Lymantria dispar — Spongy Moth, Gypsy Moth (listed as introduced in the source)
    • Machimia tentoriferella — Gold-Striped Leaftier Moth
    • Melanolophia signataria — Signate Melanolphia
    • Morrisonia confusa — Confused Woodgrain
    • Nites ostryella
    • Oedemasia leptinoides — Black-Blotched Schizura
    • Orgyia definita — Definite Tussock Moth
    • Phyllonorycter tritaenianella
    • Pseudexentera oregonana — Early Aspen Leafcurler
    • Stigmella procrastinella
    • Tetracis crocallata — Yellow Slant-Line

    Leafhopper hosts

    The INHS revision lists this plant as a host for the following Eratoneura leafhoppers. These plant-feeding insects are distinct from caterpillars and flower visitors.

    • Eratoneura dira
    • Eratoneura harpola
    • Eratoneura lundi
    • Eratoneura nimia
    • Eratoneura penerostrata
    • Eratoneura spala
    • Eratoneura tersa

    Host names follow the 2010 taxonomic revision. Its distribution records do not establish a host observation at your planting site.

    Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions

    What are the ideal growing conditions for Ironwood?
    Ostrya virginiana performs best in partial sun to full shade with mesic to dry-mesic (well-drained woodland slopes) conditions. It thrives in authentic regional soil types ranging from sandy loam to well-drained clay loams.

    How do I germinate and establish Ironwood from seed?
    Seed of Ostrya virginiana has a germination code of C(60). For best results, sow seed in late fall/winter for natural outdoor freeze-thaw stratification, or cold-moist stratify in refrigeration for 30 to 60 days before spring indoor propagation.

    Is Ironwood deer and herbivore resistant?
    Yes. Native plants adapted to Midwestern habitats naturally produce protective secondary compounds and fibrous textures that make them highly resistant to deer, rabbits, and other grazing herbivores.

    When should I expect Ironwood to emerge and bloom?
    Established plants break dormancy in spring as soil temperatures warm, developing vigorous foliage before blooming in their seasonal window to provide vital nectar when native pollinators need it most.

    Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes

    Chicago-region assessment: Wilhelm & Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region, via Kenneth Johnson’s Universal FQA dataset (2018). Chicago-region native status is separate from U.S. nativity.

    The C-value and Chicago-region native status shown here also agree with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago Region FQA dataset (2017), distributed through the USACE/ERDC fqadata package under CC0.

    Flora of the Chicago Region (2017) records this taxon as native in the Chicago region.

    The state list describes native botanical distribution. It does not establish county nativity or occurrence, suitability for every site, or the origin of the plants and seeds offered here. An unlisted state is not proof of absence.

    Range data: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; 4 June 2026 release, accessed 7 September 2026. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. CC BY 3.0; selected and reformatted. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data. This use has no Kew endorsement.

    State and county nativity: The state list uses WCVP records marked native, excluding introduced, extinct and doubtful records. County nativity has not yet been verified for this listing. Presence in a county or preserve does not establish nativity there.

    Documented plant associations: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service — ostvir; querub; american hornbeam. Regions and community contexts are retained in the lists above. Federal botanical facts summarized in original wording; no photographs reproduced.

    Available Flora-linked Chicago assessments remain controlling. These regional ecology accounts supplement evidence not available for direct reuse from the Flora; they are not represented as Chicago Flora association lists.

    Plant communities: USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System (FEIS): Betula alleghaniensis; Carpinus caroliniana; Geranium maculatum; Juniperus virginiana; Prunus virginiana; Quercus ellipsoidalis; Quercus macrocarpa. Selected association facts regrouped in original wording; regional scope retained. No source photographs or captions reproduced.

    Caterpillar host records: Shropshire, K.J. & Tallamy, D.W. (2025), Lepidoptera of North America, Supplement 1. Contains information from this database made available under the Open Database License (ODbL 1.0). Natural Communities selected species-level records and screened source qualifications. The complete selection and transformation instructions for this page are available below under the same license.

    Leafhopper records: Dmitriev, D.A. & Dietrich, C.H. (2010), Review of New World Erythroneurini IV: Eratoneura, Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin 39(3):79–258. © 2010 University of Illinois Board of Trustees; CC BY 4.0. Explicit host treatments selected and regrouped by Natural Communities. PDF treatment pages: Eratoneura dira, Eratoneura harpola, Eratoneura lundi, Eratoneura nimia, Eratoneura penerostrata, Eratoneura spala, Eratoneura tersa.

    C-value source: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), Universal FQA database 80. Matched source taxon: Ostrya virginiana. Exact.

    View the C-value source

    Sources checked September 5, 2026. Regional assessments and growing observations apply to their stated settings. Unverified fields are omitted; missing information does not mean an ecological relationship is absent.

    1. Illinois Wildflowers — John Hilty. Limited botanical facts presented in Natural Communities’ own wording. Source-specific observations retain their stated scope; photographs, original descriptive prose and compiled relationship tables are excluded. Supports: Bloom Season; Deer Resistance; Height; Opening botanical description; Primary Native Habitats; Root Architecture & Depth; Soil Moisture Range; Spread Habit; Sun Exposure; Sunlight Exposure.
    2. Universal FQA — Flora-linked Chicago database 80. Taxonomic names, family and regional nativity originally checked against Kenneth Johnson’s Flora-linked database 80 (2018), citing Wilhelm & Rericha (2017). Limited factual identification only; the C-value follows this Flora-linked database wherever an exact or documented synonym match is available. Supports: Alternate Common Names; Botanical Name; Chicago-region native status; Plant Family.
    3. USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication. Retained for comparison; the displayed C-value follows Flora database 80.
    4. NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Limited botanical facts presented in Natural Communities’ own wording. Source-specific observations retain their stated scope; photographs, original descriptive prose and compiled relationship tables are excluded. Supports: Alternate Common Names; Drought Tolerance; Soil pH Range; USDA Hardiness Zones.
    5. USDA NRCS PLANTS — taxon profile and characteristics. USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, checked September 5, 2026. Numeric and categorical taxon-level facts only; no photographs or third-party guide prose reproduced. Supports: Germination Code; Salt Tolerance; Seeds per pound — USDA reference estimate.
    6. USACE National Wetland Plant List 2022 — Midwest. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2022 National Wetland Plant List, Midwest region; effective February 13, 2024. Federal data. Supports: Wetland Indicator Status.
    7. Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin — Eratoneura paper. Dietrich, C.H. & Dmitriev, D.A. (2010), Review of the Species of New World Erythroneurini, IV. Genus Eratoneura. Copyright University of Illinois Board of Trustees. CC BY 4.0; selected host records summarized and reformatted. No endorsement implied. CC BY 4.0. Supports: Leafhopper host record: Eratoneura dira; Leafhopper host record: Eratoneura harpola; Leafhopper host record: Eratoneura lundi; Leafhopper host record: Eratoneura nimia; Leafhopper host record: Eratoneura penerostrata; Leafhopper host record: Eratoneura spala; Leafhopper host record: Eratoneura tersa. Source locators: page=114, page=117, page=136, page=148, page=25, page=44, page=45.

    Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.

    Historical botanical names remain visible where used by the source. These regional accounts supplement the available Chicago Flora evidence.

    Reusable research data

    {"title":"Natural Communities selected host records for Ostrya virginiana","source":"Shropshire, K.J. & Tallamy, D.W. (2025). Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico: an annotated list containing geographic ranges and host-plant records. Supplement 1.","source_doi":"https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1261.160796.suppl1","download":"https://binary.pensoft.net/file/1478226","source_sha256":"250a11ec19c89f81374af3bc632f6897491cbe540edb09ccdaf298dc73bf9472","license":"ODbL-1.0","license_url":"https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0/","method":"Complete machine-readable selection and alteration file under ODbL section 4.6(b). In source worksheet UDELep May 2025, select only rows whose column A UDLepID appears in selection. Each selection entry contains [retained source plant names, selected insect IDs]. Create one record per selected ID and retained plant name; these are reported larval hosts. Scientific insect name is the first two whitespace-separated tokens of column H; common name is E; source category is AB. Other source fields are unchanged and are not part of this derived table. No other rows or host pairs are used on this page. Group Butterfly and Skipper categories together, and other categories as moths; retain exotic category labels. Display names are sorted by scientific insect name.","plant":"Ostrya virginiana","scope":"Host literature synthesis; no county nativity or local insect occurrence inferred.","selection":[[["Ostrya virginiana"],["200193","200198","200204","200313","200654","200728","200851","201427","201731","202232","202581","202738","202939","203230","203809","203812","204360","204388","205590","206607","207185","207476","207561","207813","207979","208073","208240","208511","208792","208900","209081","210104","210633","211837","212380"]]]}

    Plant Shipping & Care

    We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.

    As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.

     

    Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories

    • Retail - We only offer shipping & shipping is calculated at check out*
      • We do not offer retail pick up
    • Wholesale - Delivery is customized based on order size and location
    • Wholesale - Pickup is free

     

    Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready

    We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.

    Wholesale Orders

    • Shipped or are Ready For Pick Up As Requested.

     

    Retail & Website Orders

    • Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
    • Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
    • Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
    • If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months. 
    • Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
    • Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
    • If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready.  In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments 
    • Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability.  We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish.  If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date.  If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
    • Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
    • Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.

    Where We Ship

     

     

          What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery

          • Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
          • We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.

           

             Shipments

            • Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.

             

             

            What to Do With Your Plants After  Receiving Your Delivery

            • Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
            • Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
            • Water your plants
            • Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
            • If you cannot install your plants immediately
              • Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
              • Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
              • Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
              • No additional fertilizer is needed
            How to install native plugs

            Seed Shipping & Care

            There is a minimum order requirement of $30 for each seed species. Seed ships all year and typically ships within a week of an order being placed.

            We have attempted to put together some basic information regarding native seed installation, establishment, and maintenance.  We hope you find it helpful.  If you need further assistance on native seed establishment, please schedule a free consolation call here.

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