Most leaves have fallen from the trees, now that it’s nearly January. Making identification more of a challenge. American Hop-hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) is one that I find easy to recognize. As a young tree it has shreddy bark, with narrow strips curling off.

As the tree ages the shreds disappear still leaving the appearance of bark that has been scratched by a cat, but not to the extreme of the young trees.

I love it when the bark makes identification easy. No question of what the tree is.

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