Ostrya Virginiana American Hop Hornbeam is a slow-growing, deciduous tree with a pyramidal growth habit in youth that develops into an oval to rounded crown over time. American Hop Hornbeam has birch-like, finely serrated, medium green, elliptical, or ovate leaves that become yellow in the fall. Blossoms appear in separate male and female catkins appear in spring and persist in winter. The female catkins give way to dangling, hop-like, pale green, papery fruits in summer. This shade tree is a perfect choice for shady and woody landscapes. It grows best in medium, average, well-drained soils under full sun or part shade.