Friends of Belfast Botanic gardens

Tree of the month series - this series of short articles about trees in the Belfast Botanic Gardens is compiled by members of the Friends group and Gardens staff. The series will gradually build up to a comprehensive archive of information about the trees in Belfast Botanic gardens. Each article will illustrate the tree in Belfast together with information from a range of sources elsewhere. Click here for the rest of the trees

Tree of the Month, November 2007

Oriental hornbeam - Carpinus orientalis

by Jonathan Pilcher
In the wild from Sicily and NE Italy to Iran. The Oriental hornbeam forms a substantial tree as the Belfast Botanic Gardens example shows. It is distinct from the hop hornbeam (see archive) in that it has a leaf with a much more ragged edge. The bracts on the nuts are also much longer. It is an attractive tree with very good autumn colour.

Photos taken in 2007 in Belfast Botanic Gardens. The tree is in the enclosed area close to the gate into the works yard..