European hornbeam | The Morton Arboretum

Family (English) Birch
Family (botanic) Betulaceae
Planting site City parkway, Residential and parks, Wide median
Tree or plant type Tree
Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
Native locale Non-native
Size range Medium tree (25-40 feet), Large tree (more than 40 feet)
Mature height 40-60 feet
Mature width 30-40 feet
Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily), Full shade (4 hrs or less of light daily)
Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8
Soil preference Moist, well-drained soil
Tolerances Alkaline soil, Dry sites
Season of interest early winter, midwinter, late winter, late summer, early fall, mid fall
Flower color and fragrance Inconspicuous
Shape or form Narrow, Pyramidal, Round, Upright
Growth rate Slow
Transplants well Moderate
Wildlife Birds, Insect pollinators, Small mammals
Has cultivars Yes

Native geographic location and habitat:

This is native to Europe and Asia.

Bark color and texture:

Bark is smooth and steel gray, but having a muscled character to its appearance. Older trees become more fluted.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, texture, and color:

Leaves are simple, alternate, oblong, doubly serrated, with prominent veins and grow 2 to 5 inches long. Leaves are dark green changing to yellow late in season.

Flower arrangement, shape, and size:

Flowers are inconspicuous. Tiny male flowers bloom in pendulous catkins in April and small female flowers bloom near the ends of the twigs.

Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions:

Light brown nutlets mature in October, with a three-lobed bract appearing as an umbrella over the nuts. Nutlets and bracts hang in dangling clusters. Bracts change from light green to yellow in fall.