American Hop Hornbeam (Ironwood)
- Ostrya virginiana| HOME --> All Plants and Seeds INDEX --> Trees and Shrubs INDEX --> Ostrya | |
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American Hop Hornbeam (Ironwood)
- Ostrya virginiana
Ostrya virginiana is a hardy deciduous
medium-sized native North
American tree, member of the Betulaceae family In
nature, the
trees are understory growth under taller trees in
forests. They make excellent street or forest tree as they are
attractive and long lived medium sized trees. Fall color is
yellow to
brown and pretty, but not expecially noteworthy.
Ostryas are naturally rounded in form with ovate leaves marked with
prominent veins and deeply toothed margins. Flowers are small and
produced in slender catkins in late spring. Male blooms are
pendulous 2-3 inched in length and female blooms are also in
catkins. The trees bear small fruits which are hard like a nut
enclosed in a skin and they resemble the fruit of the hops plant.
Both male and female blooms are found on the same tree.
Trees are best propagated by sowing seed sown as soon as it is
ripe. Saved seed can be sown in in the fall and allowed to
naturally stratify, or can be sown
using artificial stratification.
Seeds should be warm stratified (See WARM
STRATIFICATION for this process) for 30 days, then cold
stratified (See COLD
STRATIFICATION for more information on this process) for 120 days
for best germination. The trees are fairly slow growing can be
kept potted for several years before planting out. Ostryas are
forgiving and adapt well to most soil conditions except extremely damp
soil.
Medicinally, the bark of the trees has been used to treat toothache
and sore muscles and has also been used to treat arthritis
and
rheumatism. The wood is extremely hard and is used for
handles and posts. Not a commercially used lumber tree due to its
slow growth.
Hardy to -30F (-34.4C); height: 35ft Spread: 30ft
| #2073 Packet $15.00 Approximately 100 seeds |
|
| #Bz-2073 Bulk seed 1oz $25.50 Approximately 2562 seeds |
|
| #B4z-2073 Bulk seed 4oz $48.50 Approximately 10250 seeds |
|
| #B1-2073 Bulk seed 1lb $65.50 Approximately 41000 seeds |
|
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