Carpinus fangiana - Monkey-tail Hornbeam

Carpinus fangiana is a Chinese species that forms a bush with an elegant habit, of modest size, with grey bark. It has brown-violet stems, wonderfully contrasting with its immense deciduous foliage, composed of young bronze leaves, which later turn dark green, and its exceptional spring flowering, in long pendulous bracts, pale yellow in colour, measuring up to 50cm (19.7in) long. A unique tree to discover!

Carpinus fangiana, also known as Fang Hornbeam or Monkey Tail Hornbeam, is a deciduous tree native to western China and belongs to the family Betulaceae. It usually grows as a tall bush between 5 and 10m (16ft 5in and 32ft 10in) high, but in ideal growing conditions, warm and humid like in its natural habitat, it can reach up to 20m (65ft 7in) in height. Its trunk is covered with grey-brown to dark grey bark. Its branches are brown-violet and smooth. It has large smooth leaves, bronze when young, then dark green, with numerous lateral veins, lanceolate and finely toothed, long and elegant, measuring up to 30cm (11.8in) long. In May-June, it produces male catkins, 6cm (2.4in) long, and extraordinary female catkins, yellow-green, pendant, reaching a length of 50cm 19.7in), with a diameter of 3 to 4cm (1.2 to 1.6in). This spectacular female fruiting consists of overlapping bracts along the entire length of the catkin, hence its resemblance to a monkey's tail. The fruits ripen from July to September.

The genus Carpinus is a Latin name composed of two Celtic words, karr, meaning wood, and penn, head, referring to the use of Hornbeam wood for making yokes for oxen. The specific name of this Chinese Hornbeam, fangiana, was given in honour of Wen-Pei Fang (1899-1983), a prominent Chinese botanist, specialized in Chinese Maples and Rhododendrons.

This beautiful Monkey Tail Hornbeam, with its beautiful dark green foliage and remarkable yellow-green catkins, requires a semi-shaded location or non-burning sun, in moist soil. It will ideally be placed as a standalone tree on a short grass meadow or inserted into a shrub group. It can be associated with trees and shrubs such as a Japanese Maple, a Maidenhair Tree, a Twisted Hazel, or even a Witch Hazel.