Tree hornbeam. Where does the hornbeam grow? Description, photo

The hornbeam belongs to the Berezov family and is deciduous, relatively low. It can often be seen not only in the forests, but also in parks, squares, on the streets, because the hornbeam is perfectly curable, it can be given any desired shape.

Where does the hornbeam grow?

If you enter the forest, you will immediately see a hornbeam tree, where two of its species grow (in Europe). In particular, this tree is common in the countries of the Northern Hemisphere, especially in Eurasia. On the territory of China you can see almost all types of hornbeam that exist today. Most of them prefer to grow on slightly marshy, loose ground, but there are some that can only settle in the calcareous dry soil, and do not tolerate too high humidity levels.

Ecology of hornbeam

The hornbeam tree can be considered a rather unusual plant due to the fact that there are a lot of its species that are completely different from each other. Some of them are shade-tolerant, others can only grow under direct sunlight. The shoots from the hornbeam are quite abundant. Rarely sprout offspring from the roots. The bark and wood of the hornbeam are food for some Lepidoptera, in particular for the larvae of the pyramidal scoop, the winter moth, the autumn moth. If you believe archaeological excavations, which were conducted with the aim of searching for the ancestors of this type of tree, the hornbeam in ancient times was widely spread on the territory of Eurasia. In the Tertiary period, he appeared in Asia, and several centuries later began to grow in Europe.

Hornbeam description

The hornbeam has a longitudinally ribbed trunk. The bark is slightly cracked, often completely smooth, has a distinct gray shade. The crown does not have a breadth, but it is always thick enough, while it consists predominantly of thin long branches. Often shaped like shrubs, hornbeams, whose leaves always grow in two rows, is great for creating garden figures. The kidneys of the tree are sharp, sit and covered with scales. The leaves are unusual for the Berezovye family, they have a length of up to 10 cm. They have an oval or elliptical shape, they fall down, they have denticles along the edges and parallel-pinnate veins.

The hornbeam has dioecious flowers, they are monoecious and pollinated by the wind. Pollination is carried out with the help of earrings that bloom together with the leaves. Flowers that distinguish the hornbeam tree (the photo can be seen in the article) do not have a perianth, are staminate and consist of four or twelve stamens. At the top are thin bifurcated filaments, which bear anthers, differing in hairiness at the apex. Flowers are directly in the earrings, hidden in the falling small scales. Fruits are small nuts, which are often located in a group of thirty similar ones. The tree annually fructifies, therefore it is very easy to spread.

Grab in your garden

If you like ornamental-deciduous trees and want them to grow in your garden, then you simply can not find a better option than a hornbeam. First of all, if you want to plant a hornbeam (tree), a description of which can be found a little higher, then you should know some rules:

1. Find a suitable place for planting hornbeam. It can be a sunny or slightly shaded area. The soil must be sufficiently moist and loose. Remember that hornbeam can not grow in salty, heavy and too acidic earth. Also, you should not choose lowland wetlands.
2. To reproduce this tree, you can use seeds, cuttings or layers. In this case, it is better to sow seeds immediately after harvesting.
3. Grab is great for a garden, as caring for it is quite simple. The tree should be watered during the heat. If you want your trees to have an unusual shape, then it can be easily formed. From the hornbeam it is possible to make arches, a hedge, pyramidal bushes, trees of the most various forms, and also create a living labyrinth for a garden.
4. Grab does not need additional spraying from pests, since they do not live on it. Although, if necessary, it can be processed for better growth.

Varieties of hornbeam

There are four types of hornbeam:

1. Heart-shaped, which has light green leaves, its crown is very dense. This hornbeam grows well even in the shade, is not afraid of strong winds. It is best to plant it near coniferous trees or make a hedge from it .
2. European, or ordinary, is characterized by a very beautiful crown, oval leaves and ovoid crown. It can often be found in the forests of our country.
3. The Karolinsky hornbeam can reach 12 meters in height. It is hard to tolerate cold, therefore it grows in warm climatic conditions.
4. Grab Turchaninov is a special species that does not grow above 5 meters. Resistant to cold weather.

Bonsai from hornbeam

Despite the fact that the hornbeam is a large wild tree, it is perfect for lovers of bonsai. The fact is that the crown and branches of the hornbeam can be formed as desired, giving them different sizes. If you decide to create your own bonsai from hornbeam, then you should remember the rules of caring for him.

1. Planting hornbeam for bonsai, remember that in summer it is better to protect it from the sun. And the young trees after planting it is better to put it in a shaded place.
2. Do not worry because of frequent colds, because this tree tolerates both heat and low temperatures.
3. You can plant hornbeam in low containers of ceramics, but at the same time choose the so-called forest style.
4. In the autumn time, it is better to remove leaves from the hornbeam, and also to clean the container of moss.
5. It is better to transplant into a container in the first half of spring, while a third or half of the roots are removed.
6. In winter, it is necessary to conduct regulating and shaping pruning of branches to reduce the thickening of the crown and to create a shape.
7. As a rule, bonsai from hornbeam is made with the help of trimming alone, but it is possible to use wire in winter and autumn, if necessary. But this is absolutely not necessary, since the hornbeam perfectly forms the crown.