Bloom description: The flowers are a grouping of three brown catkins, 1 in. long (male). The female flowers appear on a scaly cone and when pollinated, the seeds ripen in a papery pod that resembles hops.
Leaf type: The oval-shaped leaves are 2-5 in. long and 2-2 1/2 in. wide. The leaves change from a dark green to an uneventful yellow in the fall. The blades of the leaves are lined with thin, irregular serrations.
Garden uses: Best used as an understory tree in dry, rocky soil conditions.
Wildlife benefits: Deer and rabbits browse on the tender vegetation while grouse and quail eat the nutlets.