Carpinus betulus Stegemanns Primus - Hornbeam

Carpinus betulus 'Stegemann's Primus' is a beautiful variety of common hornbeam cultivated for its perfectly upright pyramidal habit, which is ideal for creating alignments and other structuring plantings in the garden! This tree forms a small conical tree with beautifully puckered foliage, bronze in spring, deep green in summer, and turning a lovely yellow colour in autumn before browning in just 10 years. Its marcescent leaves remain attached until the new foliage appears, giving it a changing and ornamental appearance throughout the seasons. In a hedge, this means it retains its screening qualities. Its modest size and well-groomed habit make it a very versatile choice for medium to large gardens. Vigorous and hardy, it can be planted in all deep soils, even clay soils that are not too dry. 

Carpinus betulus, sometimes called hornbeam, is a tree native to forests in 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. It is smooth in 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). Carpinus betulus produces pendulous clusters of fruits that are 3 to 6cm (1.2 to 2.4in) long and green, turning yellow-brown when mature in late September. These fruits are called samaras and are toxic.

The 'Stegemann's Primus' variety is a German horticultural creation by J. Stegemann dating back to 2005. It is distinguished by its upright conical habit and moderate development. At maturity, this well-branched tree will reach 8m in height and 3m (9ft 10in) in spread. It has a medium growth rate and reaches its adult size in 10 years. Its very dark, grey-brown-black branches bear compound leaves that are ovate and doubly toothed, measuring 7 to 12cm (2.8 to 4.7in) long. The foliage is initially bronze in spring, then turns deep green, and from late September to November, it takes on a beautiful bright yellow colour.

The 'Stegemanns Primus' hornbeam is a very hardy and undemanding tree, adapting to any soil that is sufficiently deep, even limestone and occasionally dry. It is most commonly used in alignments and as a standalone tree in gardens. When planted in multiples, it provides a lasting structure to the garden while having a changing aspect throughout the seasons. It can be combined with other shrubs and autumn-foliage trees such as Cotinus, deciduous Euonymus, Persian ironwood, or Montpellier maple, all of which are equally easy to succeed in all regions. The orange roses 'Morning Mist' or 'Fighting Temeraire' should accompany its flamboyant branches until the first frost.

The wood of the common hornbeam is used for heating, papermaking, as well as tools and toys for children. It is a shrub whose lifespan rarely exceeds 100 years in the wild.