Ostrya virginiana aka American Hop Hornbeam

Ostrya virginiana, also known as the American hophornbeam, is a small deciduous tree that is native to eastern North America. Its range extends from Nova Scotia to southern Manitoba and eastern Wyoming, and southeast to northern Florida and southwest to eastern Texas. The tree can grow up to 18 meters tall with a trunk diameter of 20-50 centimeters. The bark is brown to gray-brown and shaggy, while the younger twigs and branches are smoother and gray. The leaves are ovoid-acute and pinnately veined, with a doubly serrated margin. The upper surface is mostly hairless, while the lower surface is sparsely to moderately fuzzy. Eastern hop-hornbeam, as it's also known, can be confused with an elm tree due to its overall form and the similarity of its leaves to those of birch trees. It typically grows in dry, rocky forests and sloped areas scattered among the upland and mountains. The tree is slow-growing and only reaches a maximum height of 10 to 15 feet over a 15-year period. Other names for Ostrya virginiana include hardhack, ironwood, and leverwood.