Hornbeams as far as the eye can see!

[augustine]

Discusmike,

Many hornbeams, Carpinus Carolinina, in MD. My club wet on a dig on private property near Annapolis and there were plenty.

Nice and helpful thread. Thanks to all.

Best regards,

Augustine
Central MD 7a

 

[berobinson82]

So the largest of my collected hornbeams doesn't seem to be a hornbeam at all.
Kind of embarrassed. Here is a shot of the first leaves opening: Any thoughts on what it might be?

Almost all of the others are putting out new buds on their trunks.

 

[rockm]

Red maple--Acer rubrum

 

[Dav4]

So the largest of my collected hornbeams doesn't seem to be a hornbeam at all.
Kind of embarrassed. Here is a shot of the first leaves opening: Any thoughts on what it might be?

Almost all of the others are putting out new buds on their trunks.

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Acer species??? Acer rubrum???

 

[berobinson82]

I know that those do grow with prevalence around these parts. Isn't that the species that doesn't reduce in leaf size very well?

 

[rockm]

It's not really the leaf size, it's the internode length on the branches. The space between leaves tend to be long, and tend to stay that way. That said, this looks like a nice trunk that's definitely workable...

 

[berobinson82]

It's not really the leaf size, it's the internode length on the branches. The space between leaves tend to be long, and tend to stay that way. That said, this looks like a nice trunk that's definitely workable...

Thanks rockm,


I imagine the techniques in BVF's "plucker" thread would help alleviate this issue, if only a bit. Would that be accurate?

 

[rockm]

Might help, but it's a game of degrees. The main species of Acer rubrum pushes very long internodes persistently. It can be a pain in the arse. With big trunks like this one, that problem isn't as noticeable.

The Acer Rubrum "drummondii" version is better at internode length, but it's not all that common, mainly occurs in Florida, I think.

 

[Martin Sweeney]

berobinson82,

Was this tree collected this winter? I ask because when you mention plucking new shoots, you do not mean this year, do you? Applying this technique in coming years may help with shortening internodes, but the tree needs a couple years to grow and recover from recent collection.

Regards,
Martin

 

[berobinson82]

berobinson82,

Was this tree collected this winter? I ask because when you mention plucking new shoots, you do not mean this year, do you? Applying this technique in coming years may help with shortening internodes, but the tree needs a couple years to grow and recover from recent collection.

Regards,
Martin

Thanks for asking. I won't do too much to the top of this tree this year, no. I had only planned on rubbing off the buds that pop way too low on the trunk/roots and where they want to pop 8 at a time in a square centimeter. That and of course feed it heavily.

 

[berobinson82]

Casualties

Of about 21 collected hornbeam, I've had to admit defeat on these first 3. I'm quite sure these were some of the earliest collected yet I don't attribute the losses to the time of year but rather taking too few roots. On the first one, I was too timid with bare-rooting and noticed that the ball of roots that WERE attached were from the forest floor rather than the base. The other two were reduced too far. I could have babied them more and brought the root ball in closer over time, but I am short on space. Maybe a touch on patience still, admittedly. I've learned from my endeavor and I'm happy to boast an 86% success rate.



The photo shows the stumps on their way to the rubbish. What fine roots WERE attached have been pulled off during "pot reclamation" and 4-year-old exploration.

Everything else is pushing red buds and tiny leaves. Will update when I'm positive they have made it past their infancy in pots.

Cheers.

-B

 

[typoolVT]

Hi there nuts!

Figured I'd share some of the stumps I've been digging so far this year. They all came from the woods locally and await (more consistent) warm weather when they can leave the garage. I've already made plans to erect a table for them where they'll receive dappled morning and afternoon sun. I potted them up in a pumice/turface/gran-i-grit/pine bark mix. The table these sit on is 20" (50.8cm) across for scale. Please pardon my picture quality.

I'll probably dig another 10 smaller, "one minute" hornbeams this season to tinker about with. Maybe develop them for a forest planting. I'm stoked for spring!

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Where locally are you finding hornbeams in VA? Private or public land?? I just moved from Richmond not too long ago.. You got some fineee looking material there!