Turczaninow's Hornbeam (Carpinus turczaninovii) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Turczaninow's Hornbeam is a small East Asian tree often grown as bonsai in the United States. Its small leaves and dense branching suit that use. It is also called Korean hornbeam.

Appearance

Growth form: A small tree or large shrub that loses its leaves in fall, usually 15–20 ft (4.5–6 m) tall in cultivation.
Leaves: The toothed leaves are usually 1–2.5 in (2.5–6 cm) long and show clear veins.
Flowers: Small hanging flower clusters appear in spring; the flowers are easy to overlook.
Fruit: The small nuts hang in clusters with leaflike coverings that turn brown in fall.

Look-alikes

American hornbeamCarpinus caroliniana

American hornbeam often has a smooth, ridged trunk and grows wild in moist eastern U.S. woods. Turczaninow's Hornbeam is an Asian garden tree with smaller leaves; check a leaf and the trunk together.

Why they get mixed upBoth are hornbeams with toothed leaves and hanging fruit clusters.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Gardens and bonsai collections
Range: Native to China, Korea, and Japan; grown in U.S. gardens rather than native woodlands.
Preferred conditions: In North Carolina gardens, it does best in well-drained soil with sun to partial shade. It is suited to 5–7.

Growing it

Care: Its small leaves and tolerance of pruning make it a popular bonsai tree.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

12 sources