The hornbeam tree belongs to the Birch family and is deciduous, relatively low. It can often be seen not only in the forests, but also in parks, squares, on the streets, because the hornbeam lends itself perfectly to cutting, you can give it any desired shape.
Where does the hornbeam grow?
If you get into the forest, you will immediately see the hornbeam tree, where its two species grow (in Europe). In particular, this tree is common in the countries of the Northern Hemisphere, especially in Eurasia. In China, you can see almost all types of hornbeam that exist today. Most of them prefer to grow on slightly swampy loose soil, but there are those that can take root only in dry calcareous soil, and can not tolerate too high a level of moisture.
Ecology of hornbeam
The hornbeam tree can be considered a rather unusual plant due to the fact that there are many of its species that are completely different from each other. Some of them are shade-tolerant, others can grow only in direct sunlight. The stump growth from the hornbeam is quite plentiful. Siblings from the roots rarely sprout. Bark and hornbeam wood are food for some Lepidoptera, in particular for the larvae of the pyramidal scoop, winter moth, autumn moth. If you believe the archaeological excavations that were carried out in order to search for the ancestors of this type of tree, the hornbeam in ancient times was widespread in Eurasia. In the tertiary period, he appeared in Asia, and after several centuries began to grow in Europe.
Hornbeam description
The hornbeam tree has a longitudinally ribbed trunk. The bark is slightly cracked, often completely smooth, has a distinct gray shade. The crown is not wide, but always quite dense, while it consists mainly of thin long branches. Often in the form of shrubs, a hornbeam whose leaves always grow in two rows is perfect for creating garden figures. The buds of the tree are sharp, have a sitting position and are covered with scales. The leaves are unusual for the Birch family, have a length of up to 10 cm. They have an oval or elliptical shape, fall down, have denticles along the edges and parallel-feathery veins.
The hornbeam tree has dioecious flowers; they are monoecious and are pollinated by the wind. Pollination takes place with the help of earrings that blossom together with leaves. The flowers that distinguish the hornbeam tree (the photo can be seen in the article) do not have a perianth, are stamen and consist of four to twelve stamens. At the top are thin bifurcated threads that carry anthers, characterized by hairiness at the apex. The flowers are located directly in the earrings, hidden in falling small scales. Fruits are small nuts that are often located in a group of thirty of their kind. The tree bears fruit annually, so it is very easy to spread.
Hornbeam in your garden
If you like deciduous trees and want them to grow in your garden, then you simply cannot find a better option than a hornbeam. First of all, if you want to plant a hornbeam (tree), a description of which can be found a little higher, then you should know some rules:
- Find a suitable spot for hornbeam planting. It can be a sunny or slightly shaded area. The soil should be sufficiently moist and loose. Remember that hornbeam cannot grow in salty, heavy, and too acidic ground. Also, do not choose lowland wetlands.
- To propagate this tree, you can use seeds, cuttings or layering. In this case, the seeds are best sown immediately after harvest.
- The hornbeam is great for the garden, as caring for it is quite simple. The tree needs to be watered during the heat. If you want your trees to have an unusual shape, then it can be easily shaped. From the hornbeam, you can make arches, hedges, pyramidal bushes, trees of various shapes, as well as create a living labyrinth for the garden.
- The hornbeam does not need additional spraying from pests, since they do not live on it. Although, if necessary, it can be processed for better growth.
Varieties of hornbeam
There are four types of hornbeam:
- Heart-shaped, which has light green leaves, its crown is particularly dense. This hornbeam grows beautifully even in the shade, not afraid of strong winds. It is best to plant it near conifers or make a hedge out of it .
- European, or ordinary, has a very beautiful crown, oval leaves and an ovoid crown. It can often be found in the forests of our country.
- Karolinsky hornbeam can reach 12 meters in height. It tolerates cold, therefore, grows in warm climatic conditions.
- Grab Turchaninova is a special variety that does not grow above 5 meters. Resistant to cold.
Hornbeam bonsai
Despite the fact that the hornbeam is a large wild-growing tree, it is perfect for bonsai lovers. The fact is that the crown and branches of the hornbeam can be formed at will, giving them different sizes. If you decide to create your own hornbeam bonsai, then you should remember the rules for caring for it.
- When planting a hornbeam for a bonsai, remember that in summer it is better to protect it from the sun. And it’s better to put the young trees after planting in a shaded place.
- Do not worry about the frequent cold weather, because this tree tolerates both heat and low temperatures.
- You can plant the hornbeam in low ceramic containers, but at the same time choose the so-called forest style.
- In autumn, it is better to remove leaves from the hornbeam, as well as to clear the container of moss.
- A transplant into a larger container is best done in the first half of spring, while one third or half of the roots are removed.
- In winter, it is necessary to carry out regulating and forming pruning of branches to reduce the thickening of the crown and create a shape.
- As a rule, hornbeam bonsai are made with only one cut, but if necessary, you can also use wire in winter and autumn. But this is absolutely not necessary, since the hornbeam perfectly forms a crown.