ᐅ Garden Photos Chat Corner

Although the hornbeam (Latin: Carpinus betulus) is a common hedge plant, its name can be a bit misleading because it is not related to beech trees. It is actually related to birch trees. However, hornbeam and beech hedges have a similar appearance. Unlike beech, the hornbeam is much more robust and can grow well in almost any garden soil. For this reason, hornbeam is often used as an alternative to beech when garden conditions are less favorable. Additionally, hornbeams are almost evergreen, as their brown leaves only fall off when the fresh green leaves emerge in spring and push the old leaves away.

Advantages:

Especially robust and nearly evergreen
Low maintenance and tolerant to pruning
Frost hardy and adaptable

Disadvantages:

Does not tolerate waterlogging
May lose some leaves (only during severe freezing temperatures in winter)

I copied this from an article by a plant nursery, and our hornbeam hedge behaves exactly as described.

In winter, firethorn is also beneficial as it provides dense screening and supports local wildlife.

And – for completeness – here is a copy from a blog on a hedge plant website:

The European Beech
When pruned as a hedge, the European beech is referred to as a beech hedge. The European beech (Fagus sylvatica) has green leaves. In contrast, the Fagus sylvatica 'Atropurpurea' or copper beech has red leaves. Both have large, shiny, and smooth leaves with slightly wavy edges. In autumn, the leaves first turn yellow to orange and then brown. The leaves are not shed until spring, when last year’s leaves are replaced by new shoots. These plants belong to the beech family (Fagaceae).

The Hornbeam
The hornbeam belongs to the birch family (Betulaceae) and is therefore not related to the European beech. This difference is also noticeable in the leaves. Hornbeam leaves have serrated edges and prominent veins. The leaves turn yellow in autumn and fall off, so no dried brown leaves remain on the plant during winter.
An advantage of the hornbeam is that it produces new growth earlier in spring than the European beech. It is also less selective about soil conditions. It thrives in almost all soils, and even wetter soils do not cause any problems.

This is how our European beech and my parents’ hornbeam behave. I am aware of the different conditions; it probably has something to do with differences in their growing locations?!

Now my confusion is complete... 😀

Mine too. I’ve read on different websites, and there are contradictory statements everywhere. Often it says that beech and hornbeam keep their leaves for a similar length of time, but elsewhere it says that hornbeam drops all its leaves immediately in autumn.

We bought a hornbeam (a real tree, not a small hedge plant) three weeks ago, and its brown leaves are still hanging on ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

A mystery 😀

Holzhäuschen schrieb:

Three weeks ago, we bought a hornbeam tree (a full-grown tree, not a small hedge plant) and the brown leaves are still hanging on ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

We still have a nice copper beech standard tree 😀