Upright Hornbeam

Upright Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus 'Fastigiata') is the tree to plant when the space is narrow but the screen needs to be tall. It reaches about 10m in fifteen years and holds to roughly 4m wide, in a tight teardrop of ribbed leaves that turn butter yellow in autumn. Hornbeam clips harder and more forgivingly than almost any other deciduous tree, which is why it is the backbone of formal hedges and pleached screens.

Why you'll love it

• Height without width. A mature tree sits around 4m across, so it screens a two storey window from a bed barely a metre deep.
• It takes clipping. Hornbeam reshoots readily from cut wood, so it holds as a formal hedge, a pleached screen or a clipped column.
• Roots that behave. Non invasive roots make it safe near paving, boundaries and services where a poplar would cause trouble.
• Hardy where others struggle. Frost hardy, wind tolerant and content in poor soil, so exposed sites are no obstacle.

Where it works best

Tall narrow screening. Plant 1.5m apart for a dense screen. At that spacing the crowns knit into a continuous green wall within three seasons while the footprint stays slim.

Formal hedging and pleaching. Trained on wires it makes the classic hedge on stilts, giving privacy above fence height while the garden below stays open.

Driveways and avenues. The upright form suits a matched run along a drive, where the clear trunks and lifted canopy keep vehicle access easy.

Growing upright hornbeam in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. It belongs in cool temperate and warm temperate gardens, and being frost hardy it performs best in southern and tableland districts. Subtropical and tropical gardens are too warm and humid for it, so choose an evergreen screening plant there instead.

Soil. Tolerant of poor and shallow ground, including clay, provided water does not sit around the roots. Dig a wide bed rather than a deep hole, and mulch 75mm deep, kept off the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first two summers, then weekly in dry weather. It is not drought tolerant. A complete fertiliser in early spring keeps a clipped screen dense and green.

Pruning. Trim a formal hedge in mid summer, once the season's growth has hardened, and again in late summer for crisp edges going into autumn. Do structural pruning in winter, while the tree is bare and the framework is visible.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in three sizes. The 400mm and 45L pots are young trees with a clear central leader, and they are the practical choice for a screen because they settle quickly and close ranks within a few seasons. The 100L is an advanced tree carrying real height on arrival, for anyone who needs the screen working sooner.

The tree is deciduous, so a winter delivery arrives as bare branches with tight buds, which is normal. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect a quiet first season, then steady growth. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to plant and maintain a formal hedge
• Browse tall narrow screening plants
• Compare hedging and screening options
• More deciduous trees for winter light

Common questions

Does it stay narrow forever?

No. It is tightest when young and gradually broadens with age towards about 4m. Regular clipping holds it much narrower than that indefinitely.

Does it screen in winter?

Partly. It is deciduous, but hornbeam holds many of its dry brown leaves through winter, especially when clipped, so it still filters a view rather than going transparent.

How far from a fence or boundary?

At least 1.5m for a single tree, or 1m if it will be clipped as a hedge. The roots are well behaved, so the canopy width is the deciding factor.