Hello can anyone tell me, If this type of Hornbeam (Carpinus Betulus Fastigiata) Can be pruned?. This tree is driving me nuts. Its planted in stupid rasied bed boxes and some of the branches are hanging over the street and I need to prune them. I heard this particular tree doesn't like to be pruned but I want to know if anyone knows if it true or not. If you can prune it then can it be prune like a normal tree?
Remove nuisance branches at the branch collar. If you have to prune off so many to get clearance that the trees start to look radically diminished, consider removal. They'll just keep getting bigger as time goes by. One in Seattle had an average crown spread of 26' in 1988.
Thanks Ron So you can prune these Hornbeams Finally an answer, Ron can you tell me why people plant these trees on parking strips? Can anyone tell me what is the appeal about these trees?
I have the cultivar Franz Fontaine, that isn't just growing upright as it should, either, but I've read in British publications that the Hornbeams are quite responsive to pruning, and can even be made into hedges like they do with Beech. I was planning to prune mine somewhat this year, they are on a property line, to make a screen. I find their leaves, both in texture, color and alternate growth when vertical, at least, to be truly lovely. They open from tight pleats in the spring. American Hornbeams have sensational autumn color that their European cousins lack.
I have found that I would call the 'fastigiata' deceptively narrow when young. I hadnt seem mature ones until a couple years ago and couldnt believe the eventual habit of them compared to my impression of what they should look like. They are used here as street trees and they will limb up the road side exposure to around 14 feet before branching, above that the crown probably extends to near 20 feet or so at its widest. They do seem to keep a very symmetrical shape though.
