Carpinus

Plant Characteristics
Origin:	✈	?

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	?"?" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water:	◍	?"?" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.

Scientific Names

Read about Carpinus in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
Carpinus (ancient Latin name). Betulaceae. Hornbeam. Trees cultivated for their handsome foliage, assuming bright autumnal tints; also for the light green attractive fruit-clusters.^CH Deciduous trees or rarely shrubs: winter-buds conspicuous, acute with many imbricate scales: lvs. alternate, petioled, serrate, with deciduous stipules: fls. monoecious; staminate catkins pendulous, each scale bearing 3-13 stamens, 2-forked at the apex; pistillate catkins terminal, slender, each scale bearing 2 ovaries, the bracts and bractlets of which develop into a large, leafy, more or less 3-lobed bract, embracing the small, nut-like fruit at their base.—About 20 species, most of them in Cent, and E. Asia, 5 in Eu. and W. Asia and 1 in N. and Cent. Amer. Monogr. by Winkler in Engler. Pflanzenreich. Betulaceae, hft. 19, pp. 24-43, quoted below as W. B.^CH The hornbeams are trees usually with dense round head, rarely shrubby, with medium-sized, bright green ovate to lanceolate leaves and rather insignificant flowers appearing with the leaves and followed by pendulous catkins consisting of large bracts bearing a small nutlet in their axils. The wood is very hard and close-grained, and much used in making tools and other small articles. The handsome foliage is rarely attacked by insects, and assumes a yellow or scarlet color in fall. The most beautiful are C. cordata, with large leaves, and C. japonica, of graceful habit and with elegant foliage. The European hornbeam bears severe pruning well, and is very valuable for high hedges; it was formerly much used in the old formal gardens for this purpose; it makes, also, an excellent game cover, as it retains its withered foliage almost throughout the winter.^CH The species are of comparatively slow growth and thrive in almost any soil, and even in dry, rocky situations; most of them are quite hardy North.^CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Cultivation

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Propagation

Read about Carpinus in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
Propagated by seeds, sown usually in fall, germinating very irregularly; if they do not appear the first spring, the seedbed should be covered until the following spring with moss or leaf-mold, to keep the soil moist. If intended for hedges, the seedlings should be transplanted after the first year, and allowed sufficient space to prevent them from growing into slender tall plants, unfit for hedges. The varieties of rarer species are grafted in spring under glass, or in the open air on seedlings of one of the common species.^CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Pests and diseases

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Species

C. americana (syn. C. caroliniana)^CH
C. duinensis (syn. C. orientalis)^CH
C. laxiflora, Blume. To 50 ft.: lvs, ovate or elliptic-ovate, long-acuminate, 2-3 in. long, with 10-14 pairs of veins. Japan. S.I.F. 1:25.—Very attractive in fall, with its long and slender catkins. Var. macrostachya. Winkl. Lvs. ovate-oblong: fruiting catkins 2 ½-3½ in. long. W. China. H.I. 20:1989.—Recently intro.^CH
C. orientalis. Mill. Bushy tree, to 15 ft.: lvs. ovate or oblong-ovate, 1 ½-2 in. long, with about 10 pairs of veins. S.E. Eu. to Persia.^CH
C. Paxii (syn. C. Turczaninowii)^CH
C. polyneura, Franch. (C. Turozaninowii var. polyneura, Winkl.). Small tree: young branchlets pubescent, soon glabrous: lvs. ovate- lanceolate, long-acuminate, usually rounded at the base, 1½-2½ in. long, with 15-20 pairs of veins; fruiting bractlets ovate to lanceolate, serrate. W. China. W.B. 39.^CH
C. Turcaeninowii, Hance (C. Paxii, Winkl.) Shrubby tree: lvs. ovate, acute, 1-2 in. long, with 10-12 pairs of veins. N. China.
C. virginiana (syn. C. caroliniana)^CH
C. yedoensis, Maxim. Small tree: branchlets and lvs. beneath pubescent: lvs, ovate-elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, with about 12 pairs of veins, 2-3 in. long. Japan.^CH

Gallery

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References

Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture, by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963

External links

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