Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Carpinus betulus

Other names

Common Hornbeam

Family

Betulaceae

Flowering season

April to May

English distribution

It is found throughout the country but is most common in

the Southeast and East Anglia.

See the BSBI distribution map for Hornbeam

Habitat

It is native in the Southeast and grows in mixed woodland

especially with Oak. It is often coppiced.

It is also planted throughout the country in woodland and

parks, by roads and in amenity areas.

It is used everywhere for hedging.

Description

Hornbeam is a deciduous tree growing up to 32m.

Male catkins hang and are in groups. They appear just

before both the leaves and the female catkins.

They are up to 5cm and have ovate, scale-like bracts each

with up to 10 stamens.

Female catkins also droop, are terminal on the shoot and

appear at the same time as the leaves.

Female bracts are leafy and have 2 small flowers per bract.

The stigmas are linear and red.

Fruiting catkins are considerably larger and comprise nuts

inside a 3-lobed, sword-shaped case.

Leaves are deep green, heart-shaped at the base and

more pointed at the top. They are toothed and slightly

folded at the veins.

The bark is grey and smooth but becomes fluted in older

trees.

The wood, which is very hard, was traditionally used for

heavy beams and yokes for draught animals.