Carpinus betulus · Bare root from November · Pot grown & instant

Hornbeam Hedging Plants

Hornbeam hedging (Carpinus betulus) creates dense, traditional boundaries with strongly veined green foliage that turns yellow-gold in autumn. Although deciduous, regularly clipped Hornbeam often retains some dry brown leaves through winter, providing useful seasonal screening and structure. It is particularly well suited to heavy clay, moisture-retentive soils, colder sites and partial shade, and is often a better choice than Beech in more challenging conditions. Choose from bare-root, pot-grown and instant Hornbeam hedging, or Pleached Hornbeam where screening is needed above an existing wall or fence.

Choose the Right Hornbeam for Your Project

Pick the form and root type that matches your budget, planting season and where you need the screening.

Bare-root HornbeamThe best value for long runs, from 40cm whips to 2m plants. Lifted fresh while dormant, November to March. Pre-order now for the new season.Pot-grown HornbeamPlant outside the bare-root season or fill gaps in an existing hedge. Pot-grown plants can go in for most of the year if you can keep them watered.Instant Hornbeam hedgingReady-made hedge troughs for a connected, finished hedge on the day you plant it.Pleached Hornbeam TreesRaised screening above walls and fences, with clear stems and trained rectangular heads.

SALEHornbeam HedgeCarpinus betulusThe best value for long runs, from 40cm whips to 2m plants. Lifted fresh while dormant, November to March. Pre-order now for the new season.DeciduousMedium 20-40cm per yearBare Root Pot Grown Instant HedgingPrice From £1.15Shop now
Pleached Hornbeam TreesCarpinus betulusRaised screening above walls and fences, with clear stems and trained rectangular heads.DeciduousMedium 20-40cm per yearPot GrownPrice From £485.00Shop now

Hornbeam or Beech Hedging?

Both make dense deciduous hedges, but the site usually decides which is the safer choice. Hornbeam is generally more dependable on heavier, colder or more moisture-retentive ground.

Compare	Hornbeam Hedge Plants	Beech Hedging
Heavy clay	Usually the stronger choice where drainage remains adequate	Better suited to freer-draining soil
Partial shade	Generally more tolerant	Suitable for light shade but prefers brighter conditions
Cold and frost pockets	Very hardy and dependable	Can be less reliable in severe frost pockets
Winter foliage	May retain some dry brown leaves when regularly clipped	Usually retains copper-brown leaves more consistently
Leaf appearance	Strongly veined, serrated and textured	Smoother, glossier and more uniform
Best fit	Difficult soils, colder sites and a robust natural look	Freer-draining sites and stronger copper winter colour

View Hornbeam Hedge Plants View Beech Hedging

Expert nursery advice

Gwynne's Grower's Tip

For privacy from ground level, I would normally choose conventional Hornbeam hedging. If there is already a sound wall or fence and the problem is overlooking above it, Pleached Hornbeam can put the foliage where it is actually needed while keeping the lower stem clear.

Hornbeam is also one of my preferred choices on heavier clay where Beech can be less dependable, but damp soil is not the same as permanent waterlogging. If water sits in the planting line after prolonged rain, improve the drainage or planting position before ordering either form.

Gwynne BodsworthGrower, Hedging Plants Direct

Read the Hornbeam care guide →

How many Hornbeam plants per metre, and what size to buy

Most Hornbeam hedges are planted bare root. It is the cheapest way to buy, the plants establish well, and you can choose anything from small 40–60cm whips up to 175–200cm plants for more height on day one. Bare-root Hornbeam is lifted while dormant and dispatched from early November through to March or April, depending on the weather, so pre-ordering secures sizes for the start of the season.

40–60cm bare root: 6 plants per metre
60–120cm bare root: 5 plants per metre
120–175cm bare root: 4 plants per metre
175–200cm bare root: 3 plants per metre

Plant in a single row for a garden hedge, or a staggered double row for a thicker boundary or windbreak. The calculator on the product page works out your quantity from the hedge length, and trade customers can ask us for a quote on any quantity.

Helpful answers

Hornbeam hedging FAQs

01When is bare-root Hornbeam available?

Bare-root Hornbeam is lifted from the field while it is dormant, normally from early November until March or April depending on the weather. You can pre-order before the season starts. Outside those months, choose pot-grown or instant Hornbeam, which can be planted for most of the year if you can keep it watered.

02Is Hornbeam a Good Privacy Hedge?

Hornbeam forms a dense network of branches and is an effective choice for seasonal privacy. Regular formative pruning encourages growth close to the base, helping the plants knit together into a continuous boundary.

A clipped hedge often retains part of its dry foliage during winter, but the amount of screening varies. Customers needing dependable green foliage throughout winter should compare our evergreen hedging plants rather than treating Hornbeam as evergreen.

03Can Hornbeam Grow in Clay or Damp Soil?

Hornbeam is one of the better formal hedge plants for heavy clay and moisture-retentive ground. It generally performs more reliably than Beech in these conditions, provided excess water can drain and air remains available around the roots.

Damp soil should not be confused with permanent waterlogging. If water remains in the planting trench for long periods after rain, the drainage or planting position should be corrected before the hedge is installed.

04Is Hornbeam Evergreen?

No. Hornbeam is deciduous, but a regularly clipped hedge often retains some dry golden-brown leaves during winter. The amount retained varies with pruning time, exposure, weather and the age of the hedge, so Hornbeam gives seasonal structure and partial winter screening rather than evergreen cover.

05How Quickly Does Hornbeam Hedging Grow?

Hornbeam commonly produces approximately 20–40cm of annual growth once established. Stronger growth may be possible in fertile soil with adequate moisture and light, but growth rates should be treated as indicative rather than guaranteed. New bare-root plants may make limited shoot growth during their first season while roots establish.

06How Many Hornbeam Plants Do I Need?

It depends on the height and root type. Bare-root Hornbeam ranges from 6 plants per metre for 40–60cm whips to 3 plants per metre for 175–200cm plants. Pot-grown and instant densities also vary by size, so use the plants-per-metre figure shown beside the exact size you are ordering.