Carpinus betulus A. Beeckman - Hornbeam

<strong>Hornbeam is a common tree, native to our temperate forests</strong>. It goes by the sweet Latin name of <strong>Carpinus betulus</strong>, also known as the Birch hornbeam or Common hornbeam. This species, originating from Europe, <strong>prefers heavy clay soils and even moist conditions</strong> like those found in Normandy, which other plants tend to dislike. Other species of hornbeams can be found in America, Japan, and beyond. The common hornbeam <strong>grows into a medium-sized tree</strong>, reaching heights of 15-20 m, but in cultivation, it often limits itself to 9 m tall and 5 m wide. It is particularly easy to incorporate into our gardens as it <strong>handles pruning exceptionally well</strong> and makes for formidable <strong>impenetrable hedges</strong> within three years, known as <strong>charmilles</strong>. Both fresh and aesthetically pleasing, they are highly malleable and <strong>easy to maintain</strong> due to numerous branches that remain relatively thin. <strong>It is easy to shape the bush to your liking</strong>, limiting the thickness of a hedge to 50 cm wide, creating tunnels or arches, making openings in the hedge, developing topiaries, or even imagining a maze as was done in French gardens. The planting distance influences the vigour of the trees, so the closer you plant them to constrain their size, the more you need to plant tightly! Another characteristic of the hornbeam is that <strong>the shedding of leaves does not result in any chore of collection</strong> as the degradation is rapid, leading to fertilisation of the soil in the process. <strong>The fresh light green tones</strong> in season <strong>transform into an amber or golden colour in autumn</strong> before turning chestnut brown due to the drying of the tissues, revealing the architecture of the trunks and the grey-brown branches. The hedge remains sufficiently opaque to form an impenetrable barrier while <strong>allowing the gentle rays of winter and a light breeze to pass through</strong>. Its role as a windbreak is even enhanced compared to a wall or an evergreen hedge, as it prevents the presence of convection currents behind the hedge. Pruning is much easier than with thujas or cypresses and produces less waste, which can easily be recycled as B.R.F (chipped shoots converted into fertilising mulch).