The Common Hoptree is not just a common plant found everywhere. I think I've only seen it twice in the wild in northeast Illinois. Its native range is south of Lake Erie down into central Florida to southcentral Texas through east Oklahoma & southeast Kansas through all Illinois to just over the Wisconsin border through south Michigan and Ohio; plus some areas in southwest Texas, New Mexico, & Arizona to a little over the Mexican border in upland mesic sites near or in woods. It has glossy compound leaves with three leaflets that are fragrant like orange peel when crushed and turn a pale yellow in autumn. The bark is smooth with some light warty roughness and is red-brown to brown-gray. Small terminal clusters of tiny yellow-green flowers in June. The dry fruit is a round wafer-like, flat. papery samara that turns from green to tan brown and can be eaten by birds or small mammals. It has either shallow spreading or deep lateral roots, but transplants easily. I've never seen it sold in conventional nurseries, but some native plant or specialty nurseries carry some. This shrub is similar to another native shrub that is not well-known that is the American Bladdernut (Staphylea trifoliata); and even a little less similar to the Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidntalis).

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This tree is a host plant for several butterfly species, including the Giant Swallowtail, Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail and Tiger Swallowtail. Very good tree for wildscape areas or just as an attractive small tree for the yard.

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The bark of this tree is dark gray with warty protrusions and reddish-brown stems.

It prefers well-drained, moist soil.

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