Carpinus caroliniana – American hornbeam, Blue beech

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  3. Carpinus caroliniana
Betulaceae

Carpinus caroliniana – American hornbeam, Blue beech

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Medium-size tree with a rather irregular, almost round crown. The grey bark sometimes has a blue sheen. Together with the blue-green leaf, it has endowed the tree with its American name Blue Beech. The leaf turns deep orange-red in autumn. This contrasts with other species, which generally turn yellow. The long, female catkins are very decorative as they blossom. Has few demands as to soil and can tolerate moisture. The tree can also tolerate wet soil for a short time.
Availability
Multi-stem (2)
Specifications
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Height
12 m
Width
6-9m
Crown
irregular sphere, dark, dense crown, capricious growing
Bark and branches
grey, bluegrey
Leaf
(blue-)grey, smooth, later grooved
Autumn colour
orange, red
Flowers
elongated oval, blue-green
Fruits
Monoecious, ♀ catkins 5 - 10 cm, ♂ catkins 2.5 - 3.5 cm April, in separate fruiting catkins up to about 12 cm
Spines/thorns
None
Toxicity
usually not toxic to people, (large) pets and livestock
Soil type
few soil requirements, preference for loamy ground, can tolerate a lot of moisture for a while
Soil moisture
suitable for wet soil
Paving
tolerates partial paving
Winter hardiness zone
4 (-34,4 to -28,9 °C)
Wind resistance
good
Other resistances
resistant to frost (WH 1 - 6), can withstand wind
Application
avenues and broad streets
Shape
clearstem tree, multi-stem treem
Origin
Eastern North America
Clear stem tree Multi-stem tree clay soil loamy soil peaty soil sandy soil tolerates partial paving resistant to frost (WH 1 - 6) suitable for wet soil can withstand wind 2nd size, between 6 and 12 metres dense crown green green April average growing Conspicuous bloom Attractive autumn colour non-toxic (usually) Capricious growing
Frequently asked questions
Carpinus caroliniana

Carpinus caroliniana can eventually reach a height of 12 m, depending on the site and climate conditions.

Carpinus caroliniana is average growing and can eventually reach a height of 12 m, depending on the site and climate conditions.

The leaves of Carpinus caroliniana turn orange, red in autumn.

The right time to plant Carpinus caroliniana is during the dormancy period. In Western Europe, Carpinus caroliniana with root balls can generally be planted from mid-November to late April, although this depends strongly on the climatic conditions and the species of tree.

Carpinus caroliniana blooms in april.
General