Hornbeam Bare Root Hedge 120–150cm (Carpinus betulus)

Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) bare root plants, 120–150cm, are ideal for creating a dense, privacy hedge in wet or exposed gardens. With rapid growth (20–40cm/year), hornbeam thrives where many plants fail, tolerating boggy soils and retaining leaves into winter for all-season screening.

Key Features

• Height supplied: 120–150cm bare root
• Growth rate: 20–40cm per year
• Tolerates: Waterlogged, boggy soils; exposed, windy areas
• Foliage: Deciduous, holds leaves through winter for privacy
• Pruning: Recovers well from hard pruning

FAQs

• Is hornbeam good for wet or boggy soils? Yes, it grows where most hedges struggle.
• Privacy vs beech? Both retain leaves, but hornbeam tolerates wetter sites.
• Wind exposure? Hornbeam hedges thrive in windy locations.
• Hard pruning? Tolerates severe pruning and regrows densely.

Planting Guidance

• Location: Full sun or partial shade
• Soil pH: Neutral, acid, or alkaline
• Initial fertilisation: Use Rootgrow at planting

Planting and care

This is a bare-root plant, supplied dormant between November and March. Plant within a few days of arrival for best results, keeping the roots moist and out of direct sun until they go in the ground. Standard spacing is 3 plants per metre, or 5 per metre for a denser, faster screen.

Read our complete bare-root hedging buyer's guide for full instructions on when to plant, how to handle the plants on arrival, planting depth, spacing for different uses, and what to expect in the first season.