Design of a hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)

The hornbeam is particularly suitable for use in combination with a bonsai. It is extremely robust and regenerates quickly after generous pruning and wiring. It has short internodes, staggered buds and is very resistant to diseases.

Various soil compositions are suitable for the hornbeam, but it particularly likes loamy and wet soil. In summer it should preferably be placed in partial shade. Full sunlight can damage the hornbeam, as the thin bark of the tree can otherwise burn off.

If you are looking for the ideal hornbeam, you will quickly find it near woodland edges and in meadows. We found a hornbeam (Yamadori) right at the edge of the forest and have already cut it back considerably on site

In the following, we will show you how to grow a Yamadori hornbeam step by step.

With this Yamadori hornbeam we found the ideal basis for our structure. It has an attractive base, a fine root system and successful rejuvenation. The main branches are in a good basic position and there are hardly any intersections.

Here you can see the development of the freshly dug out tree planted in a bowl after four years.

The development in the three following years: Each fall after completion of the vegetation phase, the tree was reshaped.

This picture was taken in autumn 2017 and shows an impressive autumnal coloring of the leaves.

In the fall of 2017, the hornbeam branches had finally become so strong that their branching was sufficient for the final design. At the same time, we also repotted the tree in a ceramic bowl.

Caution: If you repot in the fall, the tree must be kept frost-free in winter.

In the spring of 2018, our tree will appear in its final form, freshly sprouted.