American Hophornbeam

American Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana – Wikipedia) (aka Ironwood) is native to eastern USA, from east of the Mississippi and north of northern Florida. Hophornbeam bark looks like cat scratches and is frequently called cat scratch bark tree. Hophornbeam flowers are called catkins and bloom in early spring. The flowers are either male or female. Trees in the central and western section are very tall, so I haven’t seen the leaves or flowers.