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American Hop-hornbeam

Ostrya virginiana

Found in moist to dry forests, often rocky, especially over basic rocks, reaching high elevations. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), South Central edition What its natural habitat tells you

65
Strong

Native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height
20–40 feet
Spread
15 feet–30 feet 8 inches
Light
Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist

Space about 23 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
March to May
Fruiting season
August to October

Recorded in 63 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Moist forests

Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Alabama. Shared habitat, not food. 111 animals.

All wildlife of Alabama

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

96CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Ostrya

  • Achatia distinctaDistinct Quaker
  • Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger
  • Acronicta laetificaPleasant Dagger
  • Actias lunaLuna Moth
  • Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
  • Amorpha juglandisWalnut Sphinx
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Apatelodes torrefactaSpotted Apatelodes
Show all 96
  • Argyrotaenia alisellanaWhite-Spotted Leaf Roller
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Baileya dormitansSleeping Baileya
  • Baileya ophthalmicaEyed Baileya
  • Cameraria hamadryadellaSolitary Oak Leafminer Moth
  • Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Cenopis niveanaAproned Cenopis Moth
  • Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Colocasia flavicornisYellowhorn, Saddled Yellowhorn
  • Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
  • Dasychira obliquataStreaked Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira tephraTephra Tussock Moth
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
  • Endothenia hebesanaVerbena Bud Moth
  • Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
  • Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
  • Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
  • Eumarozia malachitanaSculptured Moth
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
  • Heterogenea shurtleffiRed-Eyed Button Slug
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
  • Hypena palpariaMottled Bomolocha, Variegated Snout
  • Hyperstrotia nana[White-Lined Graylet applied to Hyperstrotia villificans]
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Immyrla nigrovittellaBlack-Banded Immyrla
  • Isa textulaCrowned Slug
  • Kocakina fidelisIntractable Quaker, Green Fruitworm, Fourlined Green Fruitworm
  • Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
  • Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
  • Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
  • Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
  • Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
  • Lithophane querqueraShivering Pinion
  • Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
  • Lomographa vestaliataWhite Spring Moth
  • Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
  • Morrisonia confusaConfused Woodgrain
  • Morrisonia evictaBicolored Woodgrain
  • Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
  • Natada nasoniNason's Slug Moth
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
  • Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
  • Orgyia definitaDefinite Tussock Moth
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
  • Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Pandemis lamprosanaWoodgrain Leafroller
  • Panopoda carneicostaBrown Panopoda, Hickory Panopoda
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
  • Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
  • Phyllonorycter lucetiellaBasswood Miner, Basswood Squareblotch Miner
  • Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
  • Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
  • Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Psilocorsis reflexellaDotted Leaftier Moth
  • Pyreferra pettitiPettit's Sallow
  • Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
  • Smerinthus jamaicensisTwin-Spotted Sphinx
  • Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
  • Tetracis crocallataYellow Slant-Line
  • Thalera pistasciariaPistachio Emerald
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Zale minereaColorful Zale
  • Zale phaeocapnaHazel Zale
  • Acrobasis ostryella
  • Anacampsis tristrigella
  • Caloptilia ostryaeella
  • Coptodisca ostryaefoliella
  • Eupithecia swettii
  • Stigmella ostryaefoliella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
0BeesSoutheastern regional records
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
3BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Ostrya

  • Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Sturnus vulgarisEuropean Starling
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Betulaceae
Hardiness
Zones 3a–9b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Brown/copper, yellow or green
Growth rate
Slow
Growth habit
Single stem
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
August
Fruit ends
October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

American Hop hornbeam; Hop Hornbeam; Ironwood

Conservation status

Alabama rankSNR
Global rankG5
AL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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