Eastern Hop-hornbeam

Ostrya virginiana

Pollinator Value

🔑 Keystone: Ostrya supports 81 species of butterflies and moths as a larval host plant, including iconic species such as Luna Moth (Actias luna), Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus), Cecropia Silkmoth (Hyalophora cecropia), and Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa). As a common understory tree in northern hardwood forests, it provides structural habitat diversity and a reliable food source for caterpillars across multiple families including Saturniidae, Sphingidae, Notodontidae, and Noctuidae.
S13 81 lepidoptera; S41 understory of hardwood forests
🐛 Larval Host: Amorpha juglandis, Nymphalis antiopa, Lochmaeus manteo, Acronicta interrupta, Paonias excaecatus, Actias luna, Lophocampa caryae, Antheraea polyphemus, Automeris io, Hyalophora cecropia, Orgyia leucostigma
S13+S15 11 verified Eastern NA
❄️ Winter Food Source: Buds and catkins are important winter food for Ruffed Grouse, equal in value to aspen and birch. Wild Turkey also feeds on the buds. Nutlets provide secondary fall food for Ruffed Grouse, and are eaten by Purple Finch, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Downy Woodpecker. Mammals including White-footed Mouse, Deer Mouse, and Fox Squirrel consume the nutlets.
S41 buds/catkins winter food; S57 Ruffed Grouse 17% diet occurrence, Wild Turkey 8% occurrence; S10 bird and mammal use

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Globally secure (G5) and not SARA-listed. Ranked S5 (Secure) in Ontario and S4 (Apparently Secure) in Quebec, reflecting slightly lower abundance near the northern edge of its range. IUCN status is Least Concern. Common throughout the Ottawa-Gatineau region in deciduous forest understory.
S22 G5, IUCN LC; S26 not SARA-listed; S62 common in Ottawa; S63 sparse in Quebec
Rarity Ranks: QC S4 – Apparently Secure, ON S5 – Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: A characteristic understory tree of mesic to dry-mesic deciduous forests, most abundant in sugar maple-beech-yellow birch communities. In Quebec, it reaches its greatest density on dry knoll tops in association with sugar maple (Ostryo-Aceratum association). Tolerates a wide range of soil textures from shallow rocky soils over bedrock to deep loams, but is intolerant of flooding and absent from wettest sites. Locally common on the Eardley Escarpment in Gatineau Park and on well-drained deciduous slopes throughout the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
S41 climax understory in sugar maple-beech; S48 Gatineau Park specimens; S63 sparse in Quebec; S62 common in Ottawa

Roles: Fire Retardant, Fortress/Barrier
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [MEDIUM]: S11 Fire Tolerance = Medium (not definitional)] | Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: thorns? (supporting signal only)]

Category: Astringent, Blood Tonic, Haemostatic, Antirheumatic, Pectoral, Cough Medicine, Kidney Aid, Antidiarrheal, Dermatological Aid, Pulmonary Aid
S29 PFAF categories; S28 Moerman categories
Notes: Extensively used in Indigenous medicine across eastern North America. Cherokee used bark infusion as a blood tonic, bark decoction to bathe sore muscles, and bark infusion held in the mouth for toothache. Chippewa used compound heartwood infusion for lung hemorrhages and coughs, and wood decoction for kidney trouble. Iroquois used bark decoction for catarrh coughs and consumption. Potawatomi used bark infusion for flux (diarrhea) and heartwood decoction for hemorrhages. Parts used include bark, heartwood, and roots.
S28 Moerman 21 uses across Cherokee, Chippewa, Iroquois, Potawatomi, Delaware, Lakota, Malecite; S29 PFAF medicinal rating 1/5

❌ Not Edible

Foraging Notes: No known edible uses. PFAF rates edibility at 0 out of 5. USDA lists Palatable Human as No. Moerman documents 21 ethnobotanical uses but none in food categories.
S29 edibility 0/5; S11 Palatable Human=No; S28 no food uses