Flower Notes:
Green (Yellowish-green monoecious catkins; not ornamentally important)
Foliage Notes:
Green (Handsome deeply-cut foliage; emerges late in spring); Bronze (Golden-bronze fall foliage that persists into winter)
Fruit Notes:
Brown (Three winged nut is edible)
Soil Notes:
Prefers acidic soil, some soil moisture and good drainage to perform best; does not tolerate wet and clay soils
Diagnostic Characteristics:
Leaves simple, alternate, 2-4" long with 7-9 deep serrations on each side; lustrous dark green above and light green beneath, glabrous at maturity, silky when young. Petioles can be downy. Buds are long. Slender, pointed with many scales. Fruit is 3-sided nut in prickly husks that ripen in October. Smooth, gray bark that appears wrinkled in some areas, resembling an elephant's hide.