AusBonsai

I know that there's a few of you blokes that grow this species down under.

You don't often see one of these America hornbeams flowering when grown in a container.

This is one that I have been messing around with for a while.
As you can see, it's still a work in progress and is due for a haircut and a shave.

Here are a couple more photos for you.
Enjoy,
Paul

A very nice tree Paul,
I have not seen one of these before what are the dimensions and can you give us a little information about this species.
Cheers

Hi Paul, lovely that you get it to flower. Nice tree, they have such beautiful bark.
I have one here I have been growing for many years, will add it to your thread if you like ?
Craigw

I also have one and it did flower and fruit. I had used this tree when it was in the ground as my seed source.

Grant

Is this defoliated or something Paul, I am sure mine flowers when in leaf. Very early spring but it is fairly well leafed out. Guess yours is slightly different in the timing. Mine only gets a few flowers each year.

Yes Ok I worked out it is just comming into leaf and not defoliated as I wrote the post

banksiaman wrote:A very nice tree Paul,
I have not seen one of these before what are the dimensions and can you give us a little information about this species.
Cheers

I appreciate the compliment Paul.

I will have to take some measurements of the tree to answer your first question.

In regards to your second, this is a local variety of the American hornbeam. This one started out as a collected sapling in 1991 and has been container grown since then.

They are understory trees and can grow to around 10 meters in height. The bark is normally gray in color, smooth to granular in texture, and the trunks are often fluted.

The leaves are simple, alternate, and deciduous. The flowers are uni-sexual and borne in catkins.

They grow in flood plain woodlands and prefer the lower most wooded slopes along streams.

And last but not least, they seem to adapt fairly well to bonsai culture.

Cheers,
Paul

craigw60 wrote:Hi Paul, lovely that you get it to flower. Nice tree, they have such beautiful bark.
I have one here I have been growing for many years, will add it to your thread if you like ?
Craigw

Yes, that would be great Craig. Please share a photo of your tree.

Thanks for the compliment.

Cheers,
Paul

NBPCA wrote:I also have one and it did flower and fruit. I had used this tree when it was in the ground as my seed source.

Grant

Hi Grant,

Is the tree in a pot now?

If so, does it still flower?

Regards,
Paul

Bretts wrote:Is this defoliated or something Paul, I am sure mine flowers when in leaf. Very early spring but it is fairly well leafed out. Guess yours is slightly different in the timing. Mine only gets a few flowers each year.

Yes Ok I worked out it is just comming into leaf and not defoliated as I wrote the post

Hi Brett,

It's typical for this variety of hornbeam to flower before it leafs out.

Cheers,
Paul

Nice training box too

pjkatich wrote:

NBPCA wrote:I also have one and it did flower and fruit. I had used this tree when it was in the ground as my seed source.

Grant

Hi Grant,

Is the tree in a pot now?

If so, does it still flower?

Regards,
Paul

I dug it out of the ground about seven years ago and it is as of about 2 years now in a bonsai pot and it had a small amount of seed this year.

Grant

I just had a look at mine and its looking a bit tatty at the moment, we have had a couple of very hot days this summer which the hornbeams hate. I will put up a picture in the late autumn when its dropped its leaves.
Craigw

Paul B wrote:...what are the dimensions...

This tree is 56cm tall.

Cheers,
Paul

Damian Bee wrote:Nice training box too

Thanks Damian.

I appreciate the feedback.

Paul

NBPCA wrote:I dug it out of the ground about seven years ago and it is as of about 2 years now in a bonsai pot and it had a small amount of seed this year.
Grant

Grant,

How did you acquire your first tree?

Is this species common in Australia?

Unfortunately, it is not used for much here in the US. Even as bonsai material.

Regards,
Paul