Woody > Acer > Acer carpinifolium > Acer carpinifolium
Acer carpinifolium
Hornbeam Maple
Origin: Japan.
Mike's
Opinion
"
A small tree rarely seen in the landscape, at least in my experience but well worth inclusion in the garden. A rounded form looking more like a hornbeam in leaf than a maple, however it has significant autumn colour and interesting seed.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Sapindaceae (Aceraceae) |
| Genus |
| Acer |
| Species |
| carpinifolium |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 4 - 7 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 2a - 6a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H5 - H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-34) - (-15) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-30) - 5 |
| Height |
| 6 - 8 m |
| Spread |
| 6 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
click to expand
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Shape |
| Vertical in shape, it is dense and low branched. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Notable Specimens |
| The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England. |
| 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. |
top