Hornbeam Varieties For Landscapes Hornbeam Care And Growing Info

How fast do hornbeam trees grow?

Tree size: 20 to 40 feet tall, 20 to 30 feet wide. Growth rate is slow, about 1 foot a year.

How do you care for a hornbeam hedge?

If left unpruned, hedges start to look tatty and lose their desired shape. Beech and hornbeam put on two flushes of growth in the year – one main flush in spring and a second, smaller spurt in late summer. Ideally they should be cut back after each flush to keep them tidy.

Do hornbeam trees lose their leaves?

Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is a fast growing, green leaved plant that comes into leaf slowly throughout April, with the leaves turning brown in October. It then holds its dead leaves throughout winter. Hornbeam is tolerant of moist - or even wet - soils, growing naturally in an angular, twiggy manner. ...

How do you grow hornbeam?

Hornbeam likes to be keep moist, and yet a well-draining soil will allow you to see it at its best. Dig in plenty of organic material to the planting site to ensure that the site does not become too waterlogged, however, or these trees can drown.

Can you keep hornbeam small?

Since hornbeam responds very well to pruning, it is possible to cut your hornbeam hedge into a neat, formal shape. Even topiary is an option. And if you are looking for an informal hedge that will give your garden a more traditional, perhaps rustic look, the hornbeam can give you what you want as well.

Does hornbeam grow faster than beech?

Hornbeam has crinkled leaves that some people consider less beautiful than beech. The autumn leaves will hang on the branches for most of the winter, but not as long as beech. In a site with some shade, or in a cold, exposed area, or in a frost pocket, Hornbeam will be the faster growing of the two.

Can Hornbeam be cut back hard?

Once established little pruning is required. To grow it as a hedge the plants should be pruned lightly when planted. ... Hornbeams will tolerate hard pruning, however this will result in lots of twiggy growth.

Does hornbeam make a good hedge?

Hornbeam is a native species favoured for its attractive foliage and ability to withstand an abundance of hindering planting sites. ... It makes a wonderful, single species hedge but it is frequently combined with other species as a member of a mixed native feature.

Can you take cuttings from Hornbeam?

We can also propagate it by taking cuttings of herbaceous shoots in late spring. The use of rooting hormone is recommended to boost the chances of recovery. The hornbeam also lends itself to air layering, the air layer being put in place in late spring. ... Hornbeam seedlings in pots are also available in garden nurseries.

What does a hornbeam tree look like?

It is smooth, like the Beech, but is patterned with distinctive silver-grey vertical lines. Male catkins appear in spring and the bracts that held the fruit hang on the tree through winter. A mature Common Hornbeam in August. The leaf has a very fine point at the end which is sometimes twisted over.

What is hornbeam good for?

It was also coppiced and pollarded for poles. The wood also burns well and makes good firewood and charcoal. A tonic made from hornbeam was said to relieve tiredness and exhaustion, and its leaves were used to stop bleeding and heal wounds.

Is hornbeam the same as beech?

Hornbeam is similar to beech in that, if the leaves are clipped in midsummer, many will stay on the branches all winter, although they turn a paler, duller tawny than beech's auburn. These leaves have serrated edges like little teeth and veins divided by gentle corrugated troughs.

How far apart do you plant hornbeam?

What Spacing Should a Hornbeam Hedge be planted at? 3 plants per metre, 33cms apart, in a single row is fine for most hedges. You can plant a staggered double row at 20-25 cms apart if you want it to be stockproof.

How far apart do you plant pleached hornbeam?

Our plants have a 6 foot stem (approximately) and a 5foot (wide) by 4 foot head. For optimum density, we usually recommend a planting spacing of 180cm (6ft) from stem to stem. Pleached trees are and excellent way of creating privacy over the top of a 180cm tall tall or fence.

How do you identify Hornbeam?

The leaf of the hornbeam is oval and pointed, and a simple leaf. The leaf is quite long (7 - 12 cm) but has a relatively short leaf stalk or petiole. The leaf edge (margin) is serrated / toothed - there are many, small 'teeth' - see image below.

What is a pleached hornbeam?

Carpinus Betulus Pleached Trees commonly known as Hornbeam can make a wonderful contemporary green backdrop to other smaller trees and shrubs, particularly when shaped as. ... The Hornbeam tree is native to Britain. It is similar to green Beech and is often used for hedging. Hornbeams are also most suited to being pleached ...

How can you tell beech from hornbeam?

Differences: Beech leaves are glossier and thinner – Hornbeam are a more matt green, with deep veins and a slightly serrated edge. Beech winter leaves are a bright copper colour – Hornbeam are a darker, grey-brown. Beech doesn't like to be in damp soil – Hornbeam is happy in a moist but not waterlogged site.

Are hornbeam trees fast growing?

Botanically known as Carpinus, the hornbeam is deciduous and fast growing - in fact, it can grow about four to five feet per year. ... Hornbeams are pyramidal when young and become rounded with age. Along the back of the Summer House and the Winter House is a European hornbeam hedge, Carpinus betulus.

What does hornbeam mean?

: any of a genus (Carpinus) of trees of the birch family having smooth gray bark and hard white wood.

How wide does hornbeam hedge grow?

How tall will Hornbeam grow? It can be trimmed to any height but if left unchecked, it will grow into a medium to large majestic tree more than 8 metres (25ft) tall. How fast will it grow? Hornbeam will grow approximately 30-60cm (1-2ft) per year if it is given good conditions for growth.

Can I prune hornbeam in winter?

Formative pruning

New deciduous hedges, including native mixed, hornbeam and beech, should be pruned in winter; new evergreen hedges in spring.

How do you prune an American hornbeam tree?

Fill in gaps in hornbeam hedges by using spreader sticks between branches to realign growth patterns. Shifting smaller branches by loosely tying them to larger branches also works. Remember to remove braces and twine next year.