Beech hedges are very popular with hobby gardeners because they are easy to care for and offer good privacy and wind protection. Both beech and hornbeam are suitable for a hedge, with the latter being somewhat more popular. Magnificent hedges can be raised from both types. Even if hornbeam and copper beech look very similar at first glance, there are one or two differences.
differences
The differences between these two hedge plants lie on the one hand in the plant family, but above all in the flowers, leaves, fruits and the tree bark. Even if both species are called beeches, only the common beech (Fagus sylvatica) belongs to the beech family. The hornbeam is not actually a beech, it is a birch family. This is particularly evident in the flowers, which hang with the leaves as catkins on the tree immediately after winter. The red beech, also known as the common beech, owes its name to the reddish color of its young shoots.
- Differences in leaves and fruits can be seen in summer
- Hornbeam leaves are up to five centimeters wide and four to eight centimeters long
- Are usually thinner than those of the common beech
- The upper sides of the leaves are heavily rippled and the edges of the leaves are serrated
- Leaves turn golden yellow in autumn
- Fruits are three-winged nuts
- Usually hanging in pairs, usually eight pairs, one above the other on the branches
- Leaves of the common beech are about one centimeter wider and up to ten centimeters long
- Are slightly wavy or rippled and shiny
- Leaf margins are smooth
- Leaves fresh green in spring
- Glossy and dark green in summer
- Fruits known as beechnuts
- They lignify quickly, stand alone on the tree
- European beech only produces beechnuts every few years
- They are slightly poisonous
- Autumn color of the leaves is orange-yellow
Further differences can be seen in the trunks or the bark. While this is still very similar in young plants, that of the common beech is very smooth and light gray later, that of the hornbeam is brownish and clearly more cracked. In winter, both trees can be easily distinguished by their buds. The buds of the hornbeam are rather short and lie close to the shoot, while those of the common beech are very long, pointed and protruding. There is also a clear difference in the price. As a rule, the price of a hornbeam hedge is significantly higher.
left: hornbeam budsright: buds of the common beech
similarities
Despite all the differences, beech and hornbeam also have some things in common. Both are native deciduous trees and form dense and strong foliage. The hedge plants tolerate pruning very well and are fast-growing, with an annual increase of 20 to 40 cm. In addition, they produce a lot of foliage, which forms a good humus as soon as it lies on the ground and also offers numerous small creatures food and habitat.
tip: An important difference that you should definitely take into account when planting a hedge is that you should never plant both types of woody plants together in one hedge. The reason for this is the strong growth of the hornbeam, which would displace the much weaker-growing common beech.
Hornbeam as a hedge
benefits
The numerous advantages of the hornbeam make this easy-care and very adaptable tree the ideal hedge plant.
- Can stand both in the sun and in the shade
- It is frost hardy and easy to cut
- Hornbeam tolerates short-term wet and dry periods
- Once established, it requires no further care
- Except for a regular or occasional topiary
- The hornbeam sprout about three weeks before the common beech
- It is completely opaque from the beginning of May until autumn
- In winter, most of the brown leaves remain on the plants
- It also offers good privacy protection in the cold season
- Hornbeam thrives in moist and dry soil
- Also copes well with unfavorable soil conditions
- Contains no toxins, not even in the fruit
Hornbeam hedges that have already overgrown and have not been trimmed for a long time will sprout again without any problems, even after severe pruning down to the old wood. The wood of this birch family is very hard and therefore very robust and resistant. Its central roots grow deep, so there is no risk of damage to house walls or paving slabs.
disadvantage
Where there are advantages, there are usually one or two disadvantages. However, they are limited with the hornbeam. A disadvantage, for example, is that it loses more leaves in winter than the common beech. In addition, it is not so long-lived and often bare in the lower area, which can usually only be remedied by a radical pruning. They should be trimmed twice a year, which means there is a lot of clippings that need to be disposed of. A common companion of hornbeam hedges is powdery mildew.
beech hedge
benefits
Like the hornbeam, the common beech has advantages and disadvantages. With the right cut, a red beech hedge is wind-resistant and undemanding. In the right location, beech trees grow relatively quickly, especially when they are young. Up to the age of fifty years, which is young for the common beech, it grows 40-70 cm per year both in height and width. A real growth spurt occurs between April and May.
The foliage of copper beech stays on the hedge plants much longer than that of the hornbeam and thus offers a reasonable privacy screen even in winter. They are particularly suitable for narrow and high hedges or those that are one and a half to four meters high. Beech trees impress with their glossy foliage and beautiful autumn colors. As far as the pH of the soil is concerned, beech trees are tolerant, they tolerate both slightly acidic and alkaline soils and are lime-loving.
European beech, Fagus sylvatica
disadvantage
Even the red beech is not perfect and has some disadvantages.
- European beeches are flat-rooted
- They form a strong root system
- This can damage walls and lift sidewalk slabs
- Supply pipes running nearby could be severely damaged
- Therefore, to be on the safe side, do not plant near them
- Beech trees are among the trees that sprout relatively late
- Budding between April and the end of May
- Another point is the toxicity of the nuts
- Fruits are only slightly poisonous
- Can still cause symptoms of poisoning
- Especially in young children who come into contact with it
The more expansive or wider a beech hedge grows, the more complex maintenance is, as the soil can then hardly be worked on. This tree is generally more demanding in terms of care than the hornbeam. The common beech is particularly choosy when it comes to choosing a location. It tolerates neither moisture nor accumulations of soil, suffers from drought and late frosts. The location should be slightly damp but not wet and not too draughty.
tip: Which type of hedge plants you ultimately decide on is above all a question of personal taste and sometimes also a question of price. Local conditions can also play a role.