Hornbeam Project Tree

[Paulpash]

Plant 3 of 5 from one of those hedging bundles you get at garden centres. Grown on in the ground (12 years) then dug up with a base spread around 7.5 inches - 2 years training, 1 in a pot from China Mist - if you haven't already tried his wares and in the UK / Europe I'd recommend Steve to you - great guy and pots.

The hollow is natural dieback from the first chop I did on it. Once you get the trunk sorted, which is obviously the longest job, these develop fast. Another year or two of PD and pinching and it should be presentable with smaller leaves and better ramification. I'll lower it down in the pot next time I repot. I guess you could view it either way? Fun project tree.

IMG_20180704_201253 by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

IMG_20180704_201322 by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

IMG_20180704_201340 by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

IMG_20180704_201406 by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

IMG_20180704_201543 by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

IMG_20180704_201553 by Paul Pashley, on Flickr

 

[MACH5]

Nice Paul! I have a European hornbeam and like it very much! Do you get good autumn color on these?

 

[Paulpash]

Not really Serge - they don't tend to get the reds and yellows that you get from the Korean variety but they have really good 'muscly' trunks and attractive spring leaves. I have several developing in my beds and they are dead easy to develop as I'm sure you know: wire when dormant - remove before it bites in too much then re-apply when you partially defoliate in June (here in UK) once the structure is mostly set. Over the next two years leaf size will shrink considerably with PD and pinching. One word of warning - be careful if you are cutting big branches - in the past I have broken branch cutters on them - really hard wood.

 

[MACH5]

Not really Serge - they don't tend to get the reds and yellows that you get from the Korean variety but they have really good 'muscly' trunks and attractive spring leaves. I have several developing in my beds and they are dead easy to develop as I'm sure you know: wire when dormant - remove before it bites in too much then re-apply when you partially defoliate in June (here in UK) once the structure is mostly set. Over the next two years leaf size will shrink considerably with PD and pinching. One word of warning - be careful if you are cutting big branches - in the past I have broken branch cutters on them - really hard wood.

Thank you Paul! Yes I asked because mine did not color at all. But as you said, they do develop quickly and do make for beautiful deciduous bonsai specially leafless.

And yeah... I suppose they don't call it ironwood for nothing!

 

[Paulpash]

Thank you Paul! Yes I asked because mine did not color at all. But as you said, they do develop quickly and do make for beautiful deciduous bonsai specially leafless.

And yeah... I suppose they don't call it ironwood for nothing!

They go a sort of dirty brown and hang on the tree - a bit like beech but not as attractive. Upside is I've never experienced pests or fungus on it, either in the ground or out. You can really whack their root system too and they'll bounce back. I've sawn off / through very thick root systems in the past and not seen it be affected by it.

 

[ConorDash]

I would like to get a hornbeam.. Bobby is crazy about them so I’ve watched his and others over a few years..

Great looking tree. It’s got so much character with that base and huge hollow.

 

[Paulpash]

I would like to get a hornbeam.. Bobby is crazy about them so I’ve watched his and others over a few years..

Great looking tree. It’s got so much character with that base and huge hollow.

They are cheap to acquire, grow quickly, respond well to chops by backbudding and have one of the most resilient root systems of all deciduous trees that I've worked on. As they are also a hedging plant they are ideal as bonsai except for their ability to blanket inner buds. To wire them effectively and to build a good structure to see what is going on it's a good idea to partially defoliate.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

@Paulpash , if you've still got this one please post a spring update.

 

[Paulpash]

@Paulpash , if you've still got this one please post a spring update.

Ha will do. It is up for sale

 

[Paulpash]

Sorry, it was sold today, speak of the devil!