European Hornbeam

European Hornbeam

Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata'

Betulaceae (Birch Family)

▲ ▼ Tree by Karls Hall around 1998

▲ twigs and leaves, showing long, curved buds and double-serrate leaf margins

Location on campus: east side of Karls Hall.

Carpinus betulus: European Hornbeam

• leaves alternate, simple, deciduous, ovate to oblong with doubly serrate margins and pointed tip; 2.5-5" long and 1/3 as wide; dark green above and lighter beneath
• stems slender, glabrous, olive brown with prominent lenticels
• bark is smooth, dark blue-gray, with sinewy ridges
• grows 40-60' tall and about 2 as wide, in upright pyramidal to columnar shape with many slender ascending branches very formal appearance; strong wood keeps branch splitting due to narrow branch angles from being a problem
• prefers full sun to light shade and tolerant to wide range of soils
• slow to medium growth rate