{"slug":"carpinus-betulus","scientific_name":"Carpinus betulus","common_names":["Hornbeam","European hornbeam","Common hornbeam"],"family":"Betulaceae","type":"broadleaf_deciduous","mature_height_m":25,"mature_spread_m":15,"growth_rate":"medium","lifespan_years":300,"hardiness_zones":[4,8],"sun":"full_partial","water":"medium","soil":"Heavy clay, loam or chalk; tolerates wet winters, compaction and shade","native_range":"Native across much of Europe from south-east England, France and Spain to Poland, Ukraine, the Balkans, Türkiye, the Caucasus and northern Iran.","description":"A tough tree of up to 30 m with fluted grey trunk, pleated oval leaves and papery winged nutlets eaten by hawfinches. It is the hedging, pleaching and pollarding tree of choice because it tolerates hard clipping, clay and shade, and young hedges keep their brown leaves through winter. Widely planted as a street tree in continental Europe and increasingly in Britain.","care":"Plant bare-root in winter; very forgiving once established. Clip hedges in late summer; pollard or prune in winter. Few problems; grey squirrels strip bark and Phytophthora species can affect it. Very hard wood burns and turns well.","benefits":["shade","wildlife","birds","fall_color","long_lived","storm_resistant"],"uses":["hedgerow","street_tree","screening","parks","timber"],"cautions":["none"],"image_url":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Carpinus_betulus_-_Hunsr%C3%BCck_001.jpg","image_credit":"Wikimedia Commons, file Carpinus_betulus_-_Hunsrück_001.jpg (see file page for author and licence)","sources":["https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/hornbeam/","https://www.gbif.org/species/2875818","https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=277824","https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/carpinus-betulus/"],"data_note":null,"updated_at":"2026-11-08T01:00:46.205Z","page_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/carpinus-betulus","markdown_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/carpinus-betulus.md","regions":[{"country":"DE","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"native","note":null,"source_url":"https://www.gbif.org/species/2875818"},{"country":"FR","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"native","note":null,"source_url":"https://www.gbif.org/species/2875818"},{"country":"GB","region":"ENG","locality":null,"status":"native","note":"Native to the south of England; planted elsewhere","source_url":"https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/hornbeam/"},{"country":"HU","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"native","note":null,"source_url":"https://www.gbif.org/species/2875818"},{"country":"PL","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"native","note":null,"source_url":"https://www.gbif.org/species/2875818"},{"country":"US","region":"CA","locality":"Sacramento","status":"recommended","note":"On the Sacramento Tree Foundation Shady 80 recommended trees list","source_url":"https://sactree.org/best-trees-for-sacramento/"},{"country":"US","region":"CO","locality":"Denver","status":"recommended","note":"On the Denver Office of the City Forester Approved Street Tree List","source_url":"https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/747/documents/forestry/Street_tree_guide.pdf"},{"country":"US","region":"DC","locality":"Washington","status":"recommended","note":"On the Casey Trees Tree Rebate eligible species list","source_url":"https://caseytrees.org/rebate"},{"country":"US","region":"MA","locality":"Boston","status":"recommended","note":"On the City of Boston Urban Forestry Division recommended public street trees list","source_url":"https://www.boston.gov/urban-forestry-division"},{"country":"US","region":"NY","locality":"New York","status":"recommended","note":"On the NYC Parks Street Tree Planting Approved Species List","source_url":"https://www.nycgovparks.org/trees/street-tree-planting/species-list"},{"country":"IE","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"adapted","note":"Not native; planted","source_url":"https://www.gbif.org/species/2875818"}],"license":"CC-BY-4.0"}