Carpinus betulus Foliis Argenteovariegatis Pendula - Hornbeam

The Carpinus betulus 'Foliis Argenteovariegatis Pendula' is an old and beautiful variety of common hornbeam with variegated foliage. In this very rare form, the leaves are speckled and splashed with white in the most beautiful way. Its habit is not truly weeping, contrary to what its name suggests. The branches of this small tree are wider than tall and slightly pendulous, with spreading twigs. Vigorous, very hardy and resistant, it is easy to cultivate.

The Carpinus betulus, sometimes called hornbeam, is a tree native to the forests of Europe and Asia Minor (Turkey and Ukraine), with a pyramidal habit that becomes more rounded over time. Its straight trunk is covered with pale grey to grey-green bark. The bark is smooth on young hornbeams and becomes fissured as it ages. Its flowers are monoecious, either male or female, with a slightly different appearance and emerge in autumn (male catkins) and spring (female catkins). The Carpinus betulus produces hanging clusters of fruits, 3 to 6 cm long, green in colour and turning yellow-brown when mature, in late September. These fruits are called samaras and are toxic.

The 'Foliis Argenteovariegatis Pendula' common hornbeam is an old variety created by Feliks Rożański in Podzamcze (Poland) before 1905. It was rediscovered nearly 100 years later by Włodzimierz Seneta and introduced into cultivation by the Polish nursery Szmit. This plant distinguishes itself from the typical species with its wider-than-tall habit, spreading and slightly pendulous branches. Its variegated foliage is the main feature of this rare form: it is irregularly speckled and streaked with white on a green background. Its dark, grey-brown twigs bear ovate and dentate leaves, 8 to 10 cm long. It is a low-growing tree, reaching a height of 2 to 3 m and a width of 4 to 4.5 m at 10 or 15 years old. Ultimately, it can grow to a height of 6 to 8 m.

The 'Foliis Argenteovariegatis Pendula' hornbeam thrives in partial shade. It is a very hardy and undemanding plant, adapting to any sufficiently deep soil, even dry, including urban environments. It is perfect for medium to large gardens. It can be used as a solitary tree in the middle of a lawn, or integrated into a large shrub border, where it adds elegance and light. Regular pruning is recommended to constantly produce new shoots with beautifully coloured leaves.

The wood of the common hornbeam is used for heating, paper production, as well as tools and toys for children. It is a shrub that rarely lives beyond 100 years in nature.