Carpinus Lovers Unite!

Ok, that would be Scott and I, but these appear to be interesting plants for others as well. I had never heard of them. I did notice that our very own growin has posted pics in PlantFiles for Carpinus fangiana, the Monkeytail Hornbeam. No idea on hardiness, but C. fangiana, judging by the plants that it hangs out with natively, should be fine in Zone 6, maybe even 5. The others I have no idea.

Carpinus fangiana
A very exciting new Hornbeam from China, quite different from our native tree, with comparatively huge leaves up to 20cm long, bronze when young, with as many as 30 prominent veins. In autumn hung with pendent fruiting catkins up to 30cm long. Should make a medium sized tree in time. Quite an exceptional new species to cultivation.

Carpinus pubescens
An Asian Hornbeam with a naturally weeping habit, new to cultivation, with smallish, dainty foliage, attractively red on emergence. Grows to 15m in its natural habitat. From SW China and N Vietnam growing at up to 2000m on limestone. This collection from Yunnan, China.

Carpinus shensiensis
Pretty new on the scene, this rare hornbeam from S. Gansu and S. Shanxi, China will make a small to medium sized tree here, with neat foliage emerging deep red flushed. Fruiting clusters to 10cm long. Any reasonable soil.


I got these write-ups from Pan-Global Plants in the UK--Resin? Do you know them? It appears one could spend hours just browsing the plant lists as so many things I have never even heard of. http://www.panglobalplants.com/index.htm

Kevin,

I'm in!!!

I foresee a trip to Gloucestershire, and a heart-stopping return through Customs and Agriculture with six hornbeams and ten maples stuffed down my trousers. "Just act natural!"

You know, that plant list looks a lot like Dan Hinkley's. I wonder if Panglobalplants is the nursery of that British couple he used to travel with? I can't think of their names, off hand.

Scott

If I might intrude into the Carpinophile's meeting: I'm not a true lover but an admirer from a distance. C. carolinia piques my interest with great trunks and on some plants a nice fall color. C. turczaninovii seems interesting with colored new growth. Harold Pellet has been playing with these critters and has something up his sleeve. I just can't remember what or he didn't say. I actually have taken a liking to C. betulus at the Missouri Botanic Garden. Originally, they had it labeled C. caroliniana (which made me really excited) but this fall the label said C. betulus. For reasons now unknown to me, I tried to get artistic with the shot and didn't get a clear shot. Also, for reasons now unknown to me, I didn't get a picture of the tree this fall when visiting. Below is from 2 years ago. My mine reason for keeping Carpinus at arms length has been a lack of fall color on many species. Perhaps I'm not familiar enough with them and need more exposure? Ante up, Carpinophiles!

Regards,
Ernie

Sorry you guys but I used to be a carpinius fan but I have run into a dislike of a tree that fails to finish its attempt at beauty. It starts with a fantastic veined georgeous leaf and shows spectacular early color. Then as life gets along it looses its beautiful shape and gets obtuse and big bellied. There is not a hint of color in its fall death and finishes like a Stephen King novel, Boring. Gee maybe I am describing me and I don't need to be reminded about my mortality.

I'll fess up, I'm with Scott and Kevin, count me in - my name is Debbie and I'm a Carpinophile! Carpinus japonica planted in our gardens 5 years ago and getting better every year. My husband performed a little 'surgery' on it this year (without my approval) but it did need its lower branches lifted a little - a little too vigorous in the last two years and providing way too much shade for the plants under its canopy. Planted this year: C. betulus 'Vienna Weeping', Carpinus b. 'Pendula'
and Carpinus laxiflora and jumping genus to include Acer carpinifolium. The fact that it fails to finish its attempt at beauty doesn't faze me one bit in my quest to add more to our landscape - we have plenty of other beauties who can strut their stuff.

Here's looking at you, Carpinophiles.

not even a hint of fall color.....

With ugly smooth bark like VV showed in his pic, or this awful shredded bark from Carpinus cordata

Your bush-hog must've missed one. A second pass ought to do it.

Are those Mike Yanni specials?

...or these awful colored new-growth leaves of Carpinus fargesii

Those are Possibility Place specials VV. He hasn't specifically culled for fall color like Mike Y., but still has plants with consistently beautiful fall color.

Debbie--welcome to the world of Carpinophilia. I'll get on with my search for Monkeytail Hornbeam, as I know we all seek to own it!

Kevin 5 I never dishonor Arboreal passion. So you keep the carpinus going and I will plant, Acers, Parrotia, Ginkgo, Quercus, Cornus, ......... I need more land!

Kevin,

Are the two fall color pictures C. caroliniana or other species? The bark on C. cordata is not too shabby either. So this Yanny fella has been doing some selection on Carpinus? I've long had Johnson's on my list and now I have another reason to go and snoop. VV, great picture! Almost freaky looking.

Ernie

So,

I'm looking through files of images from the past summer for Cercidiphyllum japonicum 'Rotfuchs', thinking I'd seen one at the NCSU Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Asheville, NC and I see that what I really saw was a Carpinus coreana 'Black Lady.' Very cool foliage, habit so-so but the plant had been struggling a bit. Any of the Carpinophiles gotten their paws on this yet? Any real-time observations on color throughout the summer? Think I could get it to grow in Central IL?


Thanks in advance,
Ernie

Never even have heard of it, Ernie. Looks interesting. Now, to track one down.

Scott

american hornbeam, prolific understory
tree of the northwoods, makes a great
walking stick, too

Aw geez....yet another to search for!

Well, I have always liked Carpinus as a genus too -- like their relatives the beeches, they have a classy elegance as trees which is tough to beat. I had a 30' rounded unnanmed form of C. betulus at my old garden that was one of my favorite trees through all seasons. In my new garden I have C. koreana and orientalis, and abundant C. caroliniana in the wetlands occurring naturally.

But you guys are too much. All these other asiatic species I have never heard of! Do they actually sell them at nurseries in the Cincinatti and IL areas? And which ONE is the MOST worth having (since, even with 6 acres, I am running out of room with so many plant addictions....)

BTW, from an "expert" at bringing back plants from overseas, the image of you, Scott, struggling to get by the USDA inspectors with you pockets (?pant legs?) full of "woodies" is, well let's say, "chuckle-able". I might suggest some plant addictions which tend to smaller plants, like species cyclamen and epimediums -- equally addictive, in some cases probably equally expensive. Even those however probably won't be in too many pockets in the future. Last time I can back from France visiting my son, EVERYBODY got patted down and had to empty all their pockets. Even worse coming through London I think from the recent liquid bomb scares. So those carpinus will end up in some British inspector's garden where they enjoy contraband plants, and not back in the US.

And don't think you can fool the inspectors.......A recent cartoon, from the New Yorker I think, showed people going through a security airport line. And the security official pulled someone out of line with the comment "You sir, have been selected for random colonoscopy...."

Probably not far from the truth.....................