Name:
'Carpinus' comes from the Celtic 'carr' (wood)
and 'pen' (head), because the wood was used formerly to make yokes
for oxen. 'Betulus' refers to the fact that the leaves
resemble those of the Birch. 'Horn' means 'hard' and
refers to the tough hard wood, 'beam' was an Old English
word for 'tree'.  Cultivation:
Propagation is by seed, radical suckers or layering. This is a hardy tree, which
likes loamy well-drained soils. Clay and chalk tolerant.
Not hard to grow. Grows 35 ft in 20 years. Can reach up to
80 ft (24 m). Likes sun, but will tolerate deep shade as well
(judging by the fact it can survive in Beech woods). Suitable for
hedging (will grow very dense on clipping), coppicing and
pollarding, as well as topiary.
Uses:
The wood is greyish white and has no heartwood. It is
extremely hard and tough and resists heavy blows. It was often
used to make spokes and cogwheels, when steel was still really
expensive. Other uses have been: Tools (Mallets, planes, Handles,
Wooden screws, etc.), striking hammer in piano's, balls and
skittles, butchers chopping blocks, etc. The wood is not very
suitable for ordinary carpentry.
Up to the end of the Victorian era, Hornbeams close to London were
pollarded and coppiced on quite a large scale to provide charcoal,
faggots and articles such as beansticks. The seasoned wood makes a
hot slow-burning fire.
It is though that the mazes at Hampton Court were grown from
Hornbeam before they were replaced by Holly and Yew.
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Note from webmother to
page visitors:
Many of these pages are still bare bones. Whenever time allows, we
will continue to add information to the Tree Gallery until all the
trees have descriptions of their habitat, characteristics,
cultivation, uses and anything else of interest. Why not get involved with enhancing this web resource by sending
photographs of trees, bark, details of branches, leaves, flowers, seed
and fruit in all seasons (Good use of all these new digital cameras!). Email us if you
are keen to know more about a particular tree and we will do our
best to complete that one next.
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