Carpinus betulus

This tree has so many uses! It makes for a stately medium size landscape tree with a lovely oval to rounded form; it can be pollarded; it can be grown as a hedge. It is ridiculously easy to grow as it tolerates acidic soil, limey soil, full sun, full shade, dry soil, and moist soil. The steel grey bark remains attractive all winter long. Additionally, dried leaves are held on branches through winter, adding yet another interesting textural element.

Catkins on male plants are a delight to pollinators in early spring.

Zones: 4 to 8

Family: Betulaceae

Type: Deciduous Tree

Height: 40 to 60 ft.

Spread: 30 to 40 ft.

Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade

Soil Conditions: Medium

Bloom Time: March

Bloom Color: Yellow (male) and green (female)

Native Range: Western Asia and central, eastern, and southern Europe, including southern England

Image Credits:

• Image 1 (mature form) Andrew Gray, CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons
• Image 2 (foliage) Image by WikimediaImages from Pixabay
• Image 3 (catkins) Image by Annette Meyer from Pixabay
• Image 4 (fall foliage) Image by Hans from Pixabay
• Image 5 (winter leaves) Image by WikimediaImages from Pixabay
• Image 6 (spring buds) Image by Ilona Ilyés from Pixabay
• Image 7 (mature trunk) Image by Henryk Niestrój from Pixabay
• Image 8 (hedge) Image by Peggychoucair from Pixabay
• Image 9 (Castle avenue) Image by Hans from Pixabay
• Image 10 (tunnel) Jean-Pol GRANDMONT, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons