Also known as the ironwood due to its hard wood, the American hophornbeam is a smaller species that is found in forest understories throughout the Midwest. Although these trees have a spot in our Arboretum, they can be awfully invasive in their natural habitat and are often removed in traditional forest management. The name “hophornbeam” is derived from its hard wood nature and its fruit’s resemblance of the beer ingredient – hops.