Hornbeam - Carpinus betulus

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Hornbeam - Carpinus betulus
© Dr Chris Gibson/English Nature

The deciduous hornbeam is usually grown for its attractive grey, fluted bark and autumn leaf colour. The oval leaves are dark green, sharply double-toothed and deeply veined, turning attractive yellow and orange colours in autumn. The tree produces catkins in spring. In the autumn, female flowers develop into small nutlets, hanging in clusters of papery, green three-pointed wings.

The hornbeam keeps some light brown leaves on its lower branches throughout the winter and will react well to clipping, so it is often used as a hedging plant. It also responds well to coppicing and pollarding. Hornbeam will tolerate deep shade. It is found as a native tree in oak and beech woods on sandy or clay soils in parts of southern England, especially Herts and Essex.

Grown as a tree, hornbeam is only suitable for large gardens. The rarely seen hawfinch is fond of its seeds, and the leaves are the food plant of many moths.

Animals

Chinese character moth, Heart and dart moth, Lime-speck pug moth, Twenty-plume moth, Woodpigeon

Foliage	Green
Flower	Green, April to May
Moisture	(Dry)
Sunlight	(Full sun to Part-shade)
Origin	Native