The genus Ostrya is composed of about eight species native to Mexico [1], Eurasia [1], eastern Asia/Japan [3], the United States, and Canada [3]. The name ostrya is Latinized from the Greek ostrua, a tree with very hard wood and most likely the European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus).

Ostrya carpinifolia European hophornbeam

Ostrya chisosensis Big Bend hophornbeam, Chisos hophornbeam

Ostrya knowltonii ironwood, Knowlton hophornbeam, western hophornbeam, wolf hophornbeam

Ostrya virginiana* American hophornbeam, deerwood, eastern hophornbeam, hardhack, hornbeam, ironwood, leverwood, Ostria

* commercially important

The following description is for eastern hophornbeam.

Distribution: North America, from Nova Scotia to Maine, Quebec, Ontario, Michigan, Minnesota, Manitoba and North Dakota, south to South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Okla­homa, Texas and Mexico, east to Florida.

The Tree: Hophornbeams are small deciduous trees with scaly rough bark. The leaves are double-toothed and of alternate arrangement. The male flowers are borne on upright catkins, while the female flowers and fruits are grouped in clusters, resembling hops. Hophornbeams reach heights of 60 ft (18 m) and 2 ft (0.6 m) in diameter. The tree prefers upland soils in hilly country.

General Wood Characteristics: The sapwood of hophornbeam is wide and whitish, while the heartwood is light brown with red streaks. The wood has no characteristic odor or taste. It is very heavy and hard, and is sometimes confused with birch.

 

Mechanical propertiesa

 

Drying and shrinkagea,b

Percentage of shrinkage (green to final moisture content)

Type of shrinkage        0% MC        6% MC 20% MC

Tangential        9.6        8.0        3.3

Radial        8.2        6.8        2.8

Volumetric        18.6        15.5        6.5

aSeasoning is difficult, as a result of the high density, which lengthens the drying period.

bReferences: 0% MC (59), 6% and 20% MC (90).

Kiln drying schedulea

4/4, 5/4, 6/4        8/4        10/4        12/4        16/4

Condition        stock        stock        stock        stock        stock

Standard        T6-B3        T3-B1        NA        NA        NA

 

aReferences (6, 86).

Working Properties: Very difficult to work. Durability: Not available at this time. Preservation: Not available at this time.

Uses: Furniture, axles, handles, levers, mallets, splitting wedges, canes, wooden wares, novelties, fuel wood.

Toxicity: No information available at this time. Additional Reading: 29, 55, 68, 74.

 

The genus Oxydendrum contains only one species native to North America. The word oxy­dendrum comes from the Greek, meaning sour and tree, from the acid taste of the leaves.

Other Common Names: arrowwood, elk tree, lily-of-the-valley tree, sorrel gum, sorrel tree, sour gum, titi, titi tree.

Distribution: From Pennsylvania to Ohio and Indiana, south to Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana, east to Florida, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland.

The Tree: Sourwood is a medium-size tree which grows at altitudes up to 3,500 ft (1,067 m) in well-drained gravelly soils. It grows scattered among oaks, sweetgum, hicko

ries and pines. It produces white flowers which are bell-shaped like lily-of-the-valley flowers and capsule-shaped fruits. Sourwood attains a height of 60 ft (18 m) and a diameter of 2 ft (0.6 m).

General Wood Characteristics: The sapwood of sourwood is wide and yellowish brown to light pink-brown, while the heartwood is brown tinged with red, dulling with age. The wood has no characteristic odor or taste and is heavy and hard. It is diffuse porous.

 

 

Mechanical propertiesa

 

Drying and shrinkagea,b

 

aSourwood is difficult to season. bReference (59).

Working Properties: Sourwood is difficult to work.

Durability: No information available at this time.

Preservation: No information available at this time.

Uses: Paneling, bearings of machinery, sled runners, fuel wood and tool handles. Toxicity: No information available at this time.

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