Buy The Best Carpinus betulus Hedge Plants
Delivered Direct from Our Nursery
Order Your Bareroot & Pot-Grown Hornbeam Hedging Today
What is Hornbeam Hedging?
Hornbeam hedging, Carpinus betulus, is the go-to replacement for a green Beech hedge in shady locations and/or heavy and badly drained soils.
Like beech, it is not evergreen but holds its Autumn leaves into winter when it is clipped as a hedge.
Left to its own devices, Hornbeam grows into a medium-sized deciduous tree.
- Uses: Formal and stock-friendly hedges from 100cm upwards
- Good Points: Native, holds leaves into winter, clips beautifully
- Position: Heavy and poorly drained soils. Tolerates shade
- Growth: 30+ cm p.a.
How many Hornbeam hedge plants do I need?
The planting density for your Hornbeam hedge depends on the purpose:
- For a normal garden boundary hedge, plant at 3 plants per metre (every 33cm) in a single row.
- A stock-proof country hedge requires 2 staggered single rows (i.e. start one row 16.5cm after the other), with 40cm between rows. That works out at 5 plants per metre in total.
- An interior hedge for purely decorative purposes can be planted at 2 plants per metre (every 50cm) in a single row.
What size Hornbeam hedge plants should I buy?
- If you are not in a hurry to get a full sized Hornbeam hedge, we recommend starting with smaller sizes: up to 60cm tall.
- If you are in a hurry and need instant impact, or are filling gaps in an existing hedge, then of course pick the biggest size that fits your budget.
Smaller plants are cheaper, easier to plant, and tend to establish better because they are dug up with most of their roots intact.
You can also clip them attentively and ensure a very bushy plant from the base up.
If you still aren't sure, then 60/80cm tall is considered the ideal compromise between price, size, and waiting time until you get a mature hedge.
Should I use Bareroot or Potted Hornbeam?
We always recommend using bareroot Hornbeam plants: they are cheaper, stronger, easier to handle and because they are planted in winter in heavy, wet ground, they need less watering in spring than potted plants.
Looking for a big Hornbeam tree instead of a hedge?
Our large Hornbeam Standards are the same species as hedging, but delivered at a larger size and grown with a straight trunk.
Fastigiate Hornbeam is a compact, upright ornamental variety, much more suitable for the average garden.
Browse our other hedge plants.
Your hornbeam plants are delivered by mail order direct from our nursery, along with expert advice, friendly support, plus our bareroot Replacment Guarantee and Free Returns for all plants, so you can give them a whirl with complete confidence.