- Hornbeams are not beeches, but birch plants
- Differences between hornbeams and copper beeches
- Plant beech or hornbeam?
For the installation of a hedge or the planting of a single tree in the garden, hornbeams as well as copper beeches or copper beeches are suitable. But which type of tree is better suited? Differences between hornbeam and copper beech.
The copper beech turns orange in autumn, the hornbeam more yellow
Hornbeams are not beeches, but birch plants
Even if hornbeams are often counted among the beeches, they are part of the birch family. They are also called white beech because of their white wood. Another name is hornbeam because hornbeams have the strongest wood of any European tree. They bear green leaves that turn yellow in the fall.
Red beeches and blood beeches are real beech plants. Beech trees owe their name to the slightly reddish wood that is often used for furniture construction. Copper beeches are so called because of the red-brown foliage.
Differences between hornbeams and copper beeches
| tree | plant family | location | height | growth per year | leaves | substrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European beech | beech family | sunny, semi-shady | up to 40 meters | 30-40cm | Green, turning orange in autumn | not sour, moist, no waterlogging |
| copper beech | beech family | sunny, semi-shady | up to 40 meters | 30-40cm | dark red, turning orange-red in autumn | not sour, moist, no waterlogging |
| hornbeam | birch family | sunny, shady | up to 20 meters | 20-40cm | Medium green, turning yellow in autumn | undemanding, not too dry |
Plant beech or hornbeam?
Whether you plant a beech or hornbeam depends on several factors. Beeches are more sensitive to location. They prefer milder locations and need a lot of sun. They also have shallow roots and are therefore not very suitable for windy locations. The hornbeam has a heart root that digs deep into the ground. The tree therefore does better in unprotected locations.
Beech trees are a bit trickier when it comes to the substrate. The soil must not be too acidic. It should be nutritious and well-drained. Under no circumstances should the soil dry out completely. Beech trees do not tolerate waterlogging at all.
Hornbeams do not grow quite as large as copper beeches and are therefore more suitable for smaller gardens. However, if you have enough space and a wind-protected location, a copper beech, especially a copper beech, becomes a real eye-catcher in every garden.
tips
There are hardly any differences between the two types of trees when it comes to care. Both need a pruning twice a year in the hedge and as a single tree they do not need any pruning at all.