The Ironwood (also called American hophornbeam) is a native deciduous tree species in the birch family. It gets the common name Ironwood (which it shares with blue beech) from its extremely tough wood, and the name Hophornbeam from its hop-like fruit. Its native range extends as far north and east as Nova Scotia, as far west as eastern Wyoming, and southeast to northern Florida.
It is a common understory tree, preferring at least part shade and moist-dry soils. The Ironwood has simple, alternate toothed leaves that grow on long and slender branches.
Ironwood makes up .1% of the tree canopy in Mendota Heights. Its buds and catkins provide important winter food for many bird species and other wildlife, and its nuts provide a secondary food source in the fall.