CARPINUS CAROLINIANA - AMERICAN HORNBEAM

This form of Hornbeam is a rare sight in the UK. Carpinus caroliana has pronounced fluted bark a greeny grey in colour. The trunk is often twisted into sculptural shapes and supports a wide canopy of branches that weep gently at their tips. The apple green leaves have a polished appearance, larger than our native hornbeams and with attractive pronounced veins.

Carpinus caroliniana can be found growing in the wild in the woods of Eastern North America where it is also known as blue beech or ironwood which reflects its use for tool handles etc. Hardy in the UK, making a tree to around 10 metres tall, for all those seeking an attractive unusual small specimen tree of character.