American Hophornbeam

American Hophornbeam is a small to medium-sized, slow-growing deciduous tree native to Ontario. The flowers are fairly inconspicuous and not very showy, but the female catkins are followed by clusters of seed-bearing pods that resemble hops. These seeds are eaten by various birds including Northern Cardinals, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, and American Goldfinches. It's sometimes also called 'Ironwood' because of its incredibly hard wood, which makes it great for exposed locations, as the branches rarely break under ice, wind or snow. 

American Hophornbeam grows best in full to part sun with average, moderately moist soils. It's drought-tolerant once established and cannot tolerate flooding or salt.