Botanical Name: Carpinus betulus 'Frans Fountaine'
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Common Name: Frans Fontaine Hornbeam  
Plant photo of: Carpinus betulus 'Frans Fountaine'
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Water Saving Tip:

Change spray sprinklers to low-flow bubbler or drip systems. Shrubs and trees are ideal candidates for this type of irrigation because the water is applied directly to the root zones.

  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Tree

 

Height Range

25-40'

 

Flower Color

Green, Yellow

 

Flower Season

Spring

 

Leaf Color

Dark Green

 

Bark Color

Grey

 

Fruit Color

Brown

 

Fruit Season

Fall

Sun

Full, Half

 

Water

Medium

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Clay, Loam, Rocky

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained, Moist, Dry

 

Soil pH

Acid, Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Formal, Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish, Woodland

 

Accenting Features

Fall Color, Silhouette

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Background, Shrub Border, Patio, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Hedge, Screen, Mass Planting, Shade Tree, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

Information by: Stephanie Duer
Photographer: Tina Olsen Binegar
  • Description

  • Notes

A particularly narrow selection of European hornbeam, growing to 35 feet tall but only 15 feet wide. Dark green, slightly toothed leaves turn yellow in the fall, and the foliage persists into the early winter months. Flowering catkins form in early spring before the foliage emerges; male catkins are yellowish and female catkins are greenish. Fruits are small nutlets in 3-lobed bracts that appear in drooping 5-inch long clusters in summer. Symmetrical and formal in appearance.
Grow in sun to part shade in well-drained soil, in any but sandy soils. It requires little prunng to maintain its tidy appearance, though it will tolerate some shaping if a hedge-like look is desired, though this is already pretty narrow. It is heat and drought resistant, and seems to be relatively free of disease and pest problems.