| General Description | It is a small tree with un-maple-like qualities, ie. multi-stemmed, entire leaves and drooping clusters of seed. This species has been placed on the IUCN Red List as least concern. |
| ID Characteristic | Hornbeams are easily identified by their lobeless, ovate-oblong leaves that are un-maple like; they look like the true hornbeams (Carpinus). The leaves form hairs upon emergence in the spring and turn a brownish gold in the autumn. The bark is smooth and grey in colour, very similar to some species of Carpinus. |
| Shape | Vertical in shape, it is dense and low branched. |
| Landscape | The hornbeam maple is a small tree and is a suitable addition to a mixed perennial garden or for use as a patio tree because of its size, although this tree is not commonly found in nurseries. |
| Propagation | Ripe seed is best sown immediately in a cold frame and will germinate the following spring with no pre-treatment. Nursery seed should be pre-soaked for up to 24 hours followed by 2-4 months of cool stratification at a temperature of 1-8°C; the seed is slow to germinate. |
| Cultivation | Hornbeam maple grows best in moist, well drained soils that are sandy-loamy or gritty-loamy in character. It prefers partial sun, but does well in full sun. |
| Pests | No serious pests, although they may be prone to aphids, borers and caterpillars. Verticullium wilt, leaf spots, tar spots and root rot are also potential diseases. |
| Notable Specimens | The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England.
|
| Bark/Stem Description | The bark is smooth and grey in colour. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | The bud is normally brown but occasionally a reddish colour with the scales imbricate. |
| Leaf Description | The leaves are 7 - 15 cm in length and 3 - 6 cm in width. They are simple, lobeless, broad and pinnately veined with a serrated margin and 18 - 24 pairs of veins. |
| Flower Description | The plant is dioecious and produces racemes which flower in May with green, five-stellate flowers. |
| Fruit Description | The fruit is a samara, approximately 1 cm in length. |
| Colour Description | Dark green throughout the spring and summer, brownish gold in the autumn. |
| Texture Description | Fine in texture. |
