×  Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)

Family: Birch (Betul­aceae)

Common Names: Ironwood, American Hophorn­beam, Vir­gin­ia Horn­beam, Deer­wood, East­ern Horn­beam, Hard­hack (New Eng­land), Horn­beam, Rough-bark Iron­wood, Lever­wood, Ost­ria.

Eastern Hophornbeam is found throughout most of the Eastern United States.

The "Hop" portion of its name refers to the resemblance of its fruits to those of true hops used in the production of beer.

Hornbeam refers to a related European tree whose wood was reputedly used to yoke oxen, i.e. as a "beam" with which to bind "horned" beasts of burden.

Ironwood refers to the strength of its wood, and is confusing since this is also a common name for some 80 other tree species. The tree is often confused with its near cousin, the American Hophornbeam. In fact, both trees are popularly known as both Eastern Hophornbeam and American Hophornbeam — and both are frequently confused with elms, which they resemble.

Like Dogwood, Hophornbeam is an understory tree — it grows beneath the canope of taller trees such as oaks and elms.

It is slow growing, typically reaching 30 feet tall and 6 to 10 inches in diameter, only occasionally to 60 feet with a one foot diameter. A champion tree in Michigan is 74 feet tall with a three foot diameter trunk. A tree growing in Attica, New York is 76 feet tall with 2-½ foot diamer trunk.

A member of the Birch Family, it is related to the Alders, Birches, and Filberts.

The sapwood of Hophornbeam is wide and whitish with some brown streaking. The heartwood is light brown to grayish brown with occasional red streaks. In appearance, its wood is similar to and sometimes confused with birch. However, Hophornbeam is much denser and harder than birch, even harder than oak.

It is very suitable for objects that must be of great strength and den­sity (such as mallets, tool handles) and small items requiring a very high polish (such as chess sets, carvings and turnings).

It is not practical for projects requiring large boards. The trees are generally small.

Hophornbeam is a good bending wood, very flexible, with excellent wear and shock resistance. It holds fasteners extremely well but pre-drilling is required. A screw driven into even a slightly undersized pilot hole will almost surely break. The wood glues satisfactorily but its density requires careful control and modern adhesives for best results.

Machining is a challenge met only with very sharp cutters, which tend to dull quickly, and serious determination. It's not called "Ironwood" without reason. Very light planing cuts are necessary to minimize surface checking and almost any power operation is likely to burn the wood. Turns very well, especially when green. Allows virtually any depth of detail. Reportely similar to French Boxwood for turning. End checks in drying blanks are common.