Hornbeam hedge plants

Carpinus betulus is a hardy, native plant with glossy, crinkly leaves that turn to copper brown in the autumn and then hang on to the branches long into winter, providing year-round cover and seasonal interest. Hornbeam hedge plants boast green catkins which develop into fruits that wildlife, such as birds, adore. As a native species, Hornbeam hedging provides a wonderful habitat for wildlife, giving this stunning hedge additional interest. Carpinus betulus is a great choice for positions struggling with poor soils such as clay and chalk. Whilst similar in many ways to Beech hedging, Hornbeam hedge plants are better suited to wetter soils and its winter leaves display a wider variety of dark, attractive tones. The name ‘Hornbeam’ is derived from Old English which means ‘hard tree’ and it is certainly a durable and resilient hedging species.

Best uses for Hornbeam hedging

Hornbeam hedge plants clip beautifully, so it works well as a formal display. Equally, Hornbeam can be grown in a mixed native hedgerow to achieve colourful winter interest. A hardy variety, Carpinus betulus hedging is suited to wet sites, shade and exposure. The dense foliage makes an effective privacy screen, can help to minimise noise pollution and act as a natural windbreak.

Combine Carpinus betulus with

Your Hornbeam hedge plants can either be grown as a stand-alone shrub or combined with other native hedging varieties for a variety of seasonal interest, including; flowers, berries and vibrant autumn foliage.

Hornbeam hedge growth rate 

Carpinus betulus will achieve an average growth of 20-40cm a year and is perfect to maintain at a height measuring anywhere between 1.5 - 5m.

Care advice for Hornbeam Hedge Plants

Hornbeam hedging requires a trim once a year, in mid-late summer to encourage lasting winter foliage cover. Please view our Hedging Care Advice page for more information.

Suggested planting density for Carpinus betulus hedges

For information on planting density specific to Hornbeam hedge plants, please see the product table below. In the 'No. Per Metre' column, you will find our recommended plant density for each individual plant species and root type. You can find out more about planting density here.

Our cell grown, pot grown and instant Hornbeam hedge plants are available year-round. We also offer Carpinus betulus as bare roots from November - mid/late May, using cold stored plants towards the end of the season. Bare roots are available to pre-order from mid-summer.

Nearly all of our Carpinus betulus hedging plants are UK grown by experts who have years of nursery growing knowledge. On the rare occasion that we source Hornbeam hedge plants from outside of the UK, we ensure that our suppliers cannot be beaten on quality. At Best4hedging, we strive to make certain that your plants are delivered in the freshest condition and that they are of the highest quality, whilst protecting our terrific prices. You can purchase your Hornbeam hedge plants online, safe in the knowledge that you are receiving both reliable service and the very best products.

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