Our range of Hornbeam bare root plants (Carpinus betulus)

We have Hornbeam bare root plants in several sizes and specifications.   The 1U1 specification plants are seedlings (often called whips) which were planted from seed in the spring and instead of being sold in the following November to April period they are kept in the same positions in our fields and grown on for a further year or longer which makes a strong bushy 2 year old plant. The roots are trimmed underneath the soil by a specialised machine to help develop a fibrous root system.

We also have Hornbeam transplants which begin as one year old whips which are lifted, have their roots trimmed to encourage bushy growth and are then planted back out for one or more growing seasons in a different area of our fields at lower density to give each plant more space, nutrients and water. 

Some of our Hornbeam hedging plants are chunky mature specimens, ideal for creating virtually an instant hedge.

Hornbeam is one of our top selling species so we always have several batches of seed including UK provenance , sometimes Select Stand, and often also one of the highest quality imported Select Stand imported seeds, so if the seed provenance is particularly important to you, please give us a call.   This is a blog on seed provenance which explains this topic.

All of the plants we sell are suitable as hedging plants or can be allowed to grow as full size trees.

You can read more about the various specifications we offer in each species on the tab just below our pricing table to the right of this product description.

Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) Summary

Nearly all descriptions of Hornbeam start with “Very similar to beech other than …” and we’ll be no different!   The attributes that are like beech are that it keeps most of its leaves through winter and it can be tightly pruned as a hedge or grown as a deciduous broadleaf tree.  The differences are that the leaves are finely toothed, go brown (rather than copper colour) in winter and it’s better suited to damp soils. It is native to the south of the UK but widely planted throughout the UK. Hornbeam wood is the hardest wood in Europe, and it is thought the common name derives from it being used as oxen yokes, attached to their horns, hence hornbeam and was also used to build Roman chariots due to the strength of the wood. See our blog on the differences between beech and hornbeam.

Soil and Situation

Hornbeam is good in heavy to loamy, moist soils particularly in central southern England – but not so wet that alder, willow or Black poplar would be more appropriate.  It prefers neutral to acid soils. For dry soils with a similar appearance to Hornbeam, look at beech instead. Hornbeam grows well in full sun, partial shade or even full shade.

Leaves, flowers and fruit

The leaves opening from fat buds, appear pleated until they are fully open and then you can see that the pleats are actually deep ribs in the centre of each leaf. The leaves have serrated edges and turn a lovely golden colour in autumn before the colour fades to a greyish brown for winter.  Some leaves drop in autumn but most stay on the tree or hedge providing excellent winter cover for wildlife and then the leaves drop in spring as the new buds burst.   It has male and female “flowers” on the same plant (catkin like) which are wind pollinated and turn into papery winged nutlets and are eaten by small birds. Male catkins are twice as long as the female catkins. The musculur trunk and flame-like bark is pale grey and smooth, vertically fluted or corrugated as it matures, and the twigs can be slightly hairy.

Eventual height and growth rate

As a broadleaf tree, Hornbeam will grow to about 20m with a rounded bushy crown.  It can be coppiced.  As a hedge, or a component within a mixed hedge, it is best at about 1.5m to 3m height. Growth rate is average – young plants will grow by about 50cm pa.

We don’t grow Hornbeam to the height required for pleached trees, but Hornbeam is one of the most popular varieties for DIY pleaching because of its very straight trunks and the holding on through winter of most of its leaves.   

Also known as common hornbeam and European hornbeam.  Betulacaea family.