Beech vs Hornbeam: Key Differences Between Two Popular Hedge Plants

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Gnarled and mighty, the hornbeam is as tough as they come. It’s beautiful, useful, and its year-round leaf cover makes it a winter haven for wildlife.

The common hornbeam is a broadleaf tree that loses its leaves in the fall. Its bark is pale gray with vertical lines running through it, and the trunk is sometimes short and twisted, but it gets ridges over time. The twigs are brown-gray and a little hairy, and the leaf buds look like beech buds, but they are shorter and a little curved at the ends. Mature trees can reach a height of 30m and live for more than 300 years.

Watch out for leaves that look pleated and a seed that looks like a small nut and is 3–6 mm long. It is held in place by a leafy bract with three lobes. Identified in winter by: distinctive, papery seeds hanging in tiered clusters through autumn. Leaf buds are pressed closely to the twig.

Beech and hornbeam are two of the most popular choices for hedging in gardens and landscapes, Both are attractive native trees with foliage that provides privacy and screens, But there are some notable differences between these two classic hedging plants,

Foliage Appearance

  • Beech leaves are glossy and oval with delicately wavy edges. The foliage is thin and smooth.

  • Hornbeam leaves have a matte finish and deeply etched leaf veins The leaves have toothed edges and a leathery texture

  • In autumn, beech foliage turns bright coppery shades of orange, red and yellow before falling.

  • Hornbeam leaves fade to muted yellowish-brown hues in fall before dropping

Leaf Retention

  • Beech retains its leaves later into winter. The leaves dry and turn bronze but remain on the branches, providing winter screening.

  • Hornbeam drops its leaves earlier in fall and holds little foliage through the winter. It offers less winter privacy than beech.

Bark Features

  • Mature beech trunks have smooth, silvery-grey bark with little fissuring. The branching form is graceful.

  • Hornbeam bark is grayish too, but has a twisted, muscular look with knobbly twigs and small branches.

Soil Tolerances

  • Beech strongly dislikes soggy soil and is intolerant of sites with poor drainage.

  • Hornbeam adapts better to damp soil, though still avoids waterlogged conditions. It’s more tolerant of clay soil.

Growth Rate and Pruning Needs

  • Beech is a slower growing hedge plant, adding 30-60cm of growth per year. It only needs light pruning once a year.

  • Hornbeam grows more quickly, up to 90cm annually. It requires clipping twice yearly to keep it tidy.

Mature Size and Lifespan

  • Beech trees can grow very large, up to 30m tall. Mature trees live up to 300 years.

  • Hornbeam reaches heights of around 20-25m. Its lifespan is shorter at around 150 years.

Climate Preferences

  • Beech prefers warmer climates. It struggles in areas prone to late spring frosts.

  • Hornbeam tolerates cold better. It thrives further north than beech can grow.

Ideal Growing Conditions

For Beech:

  • Full sun to partial shade
  • Well-drained, even sandy soil
  • Adequate moisture – tolerant of drought once established
  • Sheltered from harsh winds

For Hornbeam:

  • Full sun to full shade
  • Moist, humus-rich soil but not waterlogged
  • More tolerant of wind exposure
  • Handles heat and humidity better than beech

Susceptibility to Issues

  • Beech has no serious pest or disease problems. Young trees may need protection from deer browse.

  • Hornbeam is also pest and disease resistant. It is difficult to transplant so plant it correctly the first time.

Ornamental Qualities

  • Beech provides excellent fall color. Some cultivated varieties have purple or tricolored leaves.

  • Hornbeam is not grown for its floral display. It is appreciated more for the twisted trunks and muscled branches.

  • Both make beautiful formal hedge lines and pleached arrangements.

Choosing the Best Hedge

Beech and hornbeam each have merits as hedging plants. Consider your specific growing conditions and needs when deciding. Beech offers better screening year-round. Hornbeam is faster growing and more shade tolerant. Both lend a refined, ornate look to gardens when trimmed. Blend the two together for added interest.

Not to be confused with:

Common beech (Fagus sylvatica). The hornbeam’s doubly serrated leaf edges help to tell them apart. Beech has wavy edges, not toothed.

Trees woods and wildlife

Download our free Tree ID app for Android and iPhone to identify the UKs native and non-native trees. Its an A-Z tree guide in your pocket.

People in Valenciennes, Northern France, used to leave a hornbeam branch at their sweetheart’s door as a sign of love.

What does hornbeam look like?

Credit: Deborah Morris / WTML

A similar shape to beech leaves – oval with pointed tips. The edges of hornbeam leaves are finely toothed, while the edges of beech leaves are wavy. The hornbeam leaves are smaller and have deeper furrows than the beech leaves. They become golden yellow to orange in colour in autumn and most stay on through the winter.

Credit: Nature Photographers Ltd / WTML

Hornbeam is monoecious, meaning male and female catkins are found on the same tree.

Credit: FLPA / Alamy Stock Photo

After pollination by wind, female catkins develop into papery, green winged fruits, known as samaras.

Comparison of Beech and Hornbeam tree features. O

FAQ

How can you tell a hornbeam from a beech?

Leaves. A similar shape to beech leaves – oval with pointed tips. Hornbeam leaves, however, are smaller and more deeply furrowed than beech leaves and have finely toothed edges (whereas beech leaves have wavy edges). They become golden yellow to orange in colour in autumn and most stay on through the winter.

Which is better, beech or hornbeam?

Hornbeam grows faster, and should be pruned twice per year, especially if leaf retention is desired. Beech only needs to be pruned once per year. Hornbeam can require 2 prunings to keep under control. While there is, and likely always will be, debate surrounding which plant is better, the answer seems clear to us.

What are the cons of hornbeam?

Although not as well-known as other options such as Oak, it is a fantastic firewood that is ideal for ensuring you do not have to refuel the fire too often. Disadvantages of Hornbeam are finite, but include shrinkage, warping and this non-durable wood is favoured by Longhorn and common furniture beetle.

What is another name for a hornbeam tree?

The American hornbeam is also occasionally known as blue-beech, ironwood, or musclewood, the first from the resemblance of the bark to that of the American beech Fagus grandifolia, the other two from the hardness of the wood and the muscled appearance of the trunk and limbs.

What is the difference between beech and hornbeam?

Both provide food for foraging birds and small mammals when their catkins appear each spring. Differences: Beech leaves are glossier, thinner and smoother with wavy edges – Hornbeam is matt green with deeply-etched veins and toothed edging. Winter Beech leaves are bright copper – Hornbeam foliage is a darker, grey-brown.

Which is better hornbeam or beech hedge?

Because then the hornbeam grows new, green leaves faster than the beech hedge (Fagus Sylvatica or Green Beech). Enjoyable when it’s outside season. The leaves of the beech hedge are shiny and are smoother than the leaves of its companion, the hornbeam. Do you like red? Then you can also choose the red variant of the beech hedge.

What does a hornbeam tree look like?

Winter Beech leaves are bright copper – Hornbeam foliage is a darker, grey-brown. Beech doesn’t like damp soil – Hornbeam can cope with moist soil but loathes waterlogged sites. Beech is more drought tolerant than Hornbeam.

What is the difference between a hornbeam and a beechnut?

Hornbeam fruits are green and grow in the form of grapes, while beechnuts are brown and stand solitary. The trunks of the young trees are still relatively similar. Later, a beech can be recognized by its very smooth, light gray trunk. Hornbeam trunks are brownish and much more cracked.

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