Carpinus betulus – Hornbeam

  Hornbeam is a fine tree growing up to around 30m. It has a noticeably bold outline in winter, its bole is often gnarled and twisted and its bark is silvery grey with deep fissures lower down and occasionally has dark bands. In one of the specimens I have photographed, the bark is silvery grey with a green tinge due to moss growth. The younger specimen I have photographed in a hedgerow, displays typically silvery grey bark. It has also maintained its leaves through the winter which is typical of hornbeams throughout the, when planted in hedgerows. Its leaves are green through the summer colourful in autumn turning orange to russet-brown. They are oval and pointed with a rounded base, short petiole and double toothed margin. They have 15 pairs of veins on the underside.

  It is native to Britain, occurring in pure stands and in some woodlands and hedgerows. It is widely planted as a specimen tree in parks and gardens. It is tolerant of heavy clay soils. Hornbeam was also regularly coppiced to provide timber as its tough wood is prized for its durable qualities. Its tough seeds are a favourite food of the Hawfinch, the only British bird able to crack them open.

 Its male catkins are 5cm long, yellowish green with red outer scales. Its fruit form in clusters of winged nutlets, usually consisting of about 8 pairs of small hard-cased nuts up to 14cm long.