Hornbeam, Large Trees

Carpinus betulus: Bareroot Hornbeam Trees in Standard Sizes

Hornbeam, Carpinus betulus, is a fairly large, native, deciduous tree. Parkland hornbeam trees have dense, rounded canopies that cast full shade underneath them.

The green leaves look similar to those of beech, except for the more deeply crinkled veins and the jagged edges. The autumn colour is russet-gold. Hornbeam seeds have 3-lobed wings and are eaten mainly by small mammals, finches and tits.
It makes a beautiful parkland specimen, with a rounded, spreading canopy that casts deep shade underneath it.
Hornbeam can reach a height of about 25 metres.

You can also buy Fastigiate Hornbeam, which is more compact and upright than the wild variety on this page.
Standard trees are the largest size that we deliver; you can buy younger Hornbeam saplings, which are ideal for hedging.
Browse our large garden trees, or all of our trees.

Delivery season: Hornbeam trees are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive.
Choosing a size: Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they are best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it is convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).

Features:

• Height: 25m
• Large, spreading habit
• Soil: Any, shade-tolerant
• Native
• RHS Award of Garden Merit
• Bareroot delivery only: November-March

Growing Hornbeams

Hornbeams are versatile trees, only needing reasonably fertile soil. They love heavy clay, will tolerate shade and can be planted in the coldest regions and frost pockets.
The wood is very hard and can resist strong wind in exposed areas.

It is a superb screening tree that should need no pruning maintenance.

Hornbeam is the classic substitute for beech on wet or shady sites.