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HORNBEAM

Carpinus betulus

Birch Family [Betulaceae]

Catkins:
month8mar month8march month8apr month8april

Fruit:
month8apr month8april month8may

category
category8Trees
category
category8Broadleaf
category
category8Deciduous
status
statusZnative
flower
flower8green
inner
inner8red
petals
petalsZ0
type
typeZcatkins
stem
stem8round
sex
sexZdioecious

2nd April 2014, Yarrow Valley, Chorley, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
can you see it. Its that small tree in the foreground! They only grow up to 30m tall; this is a young specimen.


2nd April 2014, Yarrow Valley, Chorley, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
This is a much older Hornbeam. The orangeness of part of the bark may be due to a lichen. The green covering is some kind of moss.


17th sept 2017, Black Leach Country Pk. Walkden, Gtr M/cr. Photo: © RWD
Hornbeam is Dioecious, with separate male and female trees.

 Male. The male catkins are pale-green and not leaf-like.



2nd April 2014, Yarrow Valley, Chorley, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
 Female. The female catkins are totally different. Here young catkins are still growing longer and then drooping downwards. The two in the foreground are still tightly curled up directing themselves slightly upwards before drooping downwards]


2nd April 2014, Yarrow Valley, Chorley, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
 Female. As-yet unopened female catkins.


2nd April 2014, Yarrow Valley, Chorley, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
 Female. Elongating and opening further, the fruits still developing hidden beneath each brown-tipped triangular bract.


30th March 2014, unknown place. Photo: © Bastiaan Brak
 Female. Bracts fully opened, the green, developing female flowers sheltering beneath each bract.


30th March 2014, unknown place. Photo: © Bastiaan Brak
 Female. The female flowers nearer the end have developed into reddish seeds. Some of the bracts have developed a small lobe on each side. The bracts have hairs on their edges and a brownish point at the tip.


25th April 2015, Bromborough Rake, Dibbinsdale, Wirral. Photo: © RWD


25th April 2015, Bromborough Rake, Dibbinsdale, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
The leaves are oval with an acuminate tip and irregular teeth and between 4 to 10cm long. They turn yellow in autumn.


25th April 2015, Bromborough Rake, Dibbinsdale, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
The leaves have straight veins at about 45° to the central vein, and when new are heavily concertinead.


25th April 2015, Bromborough Rake, Dibbinsdale, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
New leaves are at first rolled-up like an umbrella. The leaves are already present when the male or female flowers appear.


Not to be semantically confused with : any of the numerous Whitebeams (Sorbus species) [trees with a similar name]

It occurs all over England and the southern and some eastern parts of Scotland. Also to be found on the eastern side of Ireland. But its highest presence is in the south east corner of the UK.

It is native and occurs in woodland, scrub and in hedgerows. The fruits however are very variable and it can as a result be mistakenly identified as Filbert (Corylus maxima), a tree which grows much shorter than Hazel only reaching 12m in height. Filbert is in the same genera.


  Carpinus betulus  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Betulaceae  

Distribution
 family8Birch family8Betulaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Carpinus
Carpinus
(Hornbeam)

HORNBEAM

Carpinus betulus

Birch Family [Betulaceae]