Plants by mail order since 1984, over 4100 plants online today

Nursery & Gardens open: Mon - Sat 8:30 - 17:00 & Sun 10:00 - 16:00

Pop up café: open weather dependent

My Burncoose

Basket

CARPINUS

'C' > CARPINUS >

Sorry, but the plant you were looking for isn't available this year. Please try these alternatives.

CARPINUS

Commonly known as Hornbeam

Attractive specimen trees grown for their elegant habit, ornamental foliage, autumn colour and pendent racemes of fruit. Male and female catkins on same tree in spring. Hardier than beech and tolerates wet soil much better.

Hornbeams yield very hard timber which is difficult to work. Long-lasting items such as tool handles, coach wheels, shoe lasts and gear pegs for windmills have been worked from this "ironwood".

Genus of about 40 species of deciduous trees from woodland in Europe, Asia and North America.

The UK native C. betulus, most common in the southeast, and rare in Scotland and Ireland, is favoured by the elusive hawfinch which is fond of the seeds which fall from October.

Further Reading....

Deciduous
Ovate to broadly ovate, double-toothed, glossy, dark green leaves to 5cm (2in) long, turning orange in autumn
Height
6-12m (20-39ft)
Spread
10m (33ft)
Tree
Elegant small tree, upright when young, later rounded. Male catkins are green and 1-1.25cm (½-1in) long, females yellow-green and and to 5cm (2in) long.
Hardy - very cold winter
Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe. Plant can possibly withstand temperatures down to -20°C (-4°F)
Full sun
Partial shade

Details
Mature Size
Tips and Advice
Goes Well With
Planting Combinations
Other Suggestions
See Also...

Additional Features

	Pests & Diseases	Prone to coral spot, caterpillars and aphids
	Place of origin	China, Korea and Japan

Flower Shape

Racemes

Racemes 2.5-5cm (1-2in) long of pendent fruit with ovate, unequal bracts

Hardiness

Fully hardy

Leaf margin

Double Serrate

(see photos above)

Leaf shape

Ovate

(see photos above)

Pruning group

Pruning group 1

Suitable for: Deciduous and evergreen trees, and some deciduous shrubs.
Pruning: Minimal pruning required. Prune wayward or crossing branches to maintain a healthy framework.
When: When dormant in the late winter/early spring. Some in the summer/autumn to prevent bleeding of sap.

Seasonal Interest

	Autumn
	Spring

Soil Conditions

Fertile well drained soil

Moderately fertile

Tree Shape

Rounded to broadly spreading

Carpinus - Growing Guide

Carpinus - Growing Guide

Trees - Care Guide

6-12m (20-39ft)
	10m (33ft)

LIQUIDAMBAR styraciflua 'Gum Ball'

Buy Varieties of CARPINUS

CARPINUS betulus

Common hornbeam

Click to view more details >

Pot grown

individually £11.00 each , 10+ £10.00 each

CARPINUS betulus 'Fastigiata'

Common hornbeam

upright columnar growing form

Click to view more details >

Whip

Gift-wrapping available

£25.00 each

CARPINUS betulus 'Rockhampton Red'

Common hornbeam

excellent autumn colour in fiery orange and red

Click to view more details >

Whip

Gift-wrapping available

£25.00 each

CARPINUS caroliniana 'Red Fall'

American hornbeam.

Red new growth turns green in summer. Spectacular autumn colour, orange-red.

Click to view more details >

Gift-wrapping available

£30.00

CARPINUS fangiana

Fang's hornbeam

perhaps the most striking and unusual of all hornbeams which is a serious 'must have' for any collector. Bronze young leaves and long clusters of fruits with toothed bracts

Click to view more details >

Grafted

£30.00 each