#136 CUT-LEAVED HORNBEAM
Carpinus betulus ‘Incisa’
This tree is in the centre, to the E of the Philadelphus Walk and S of the Malus Avenue.
County Champion
| Distribution | Either: native to west-central and south-east Europe east to Ukraine and Asia minor; or a clone distributed in the 19th century from Hamburg. |
| Planting Date: | 1928 |
| Bought from: | James Smith (Scotland Nurseries), Tansley, Derbyshire |
| Leaf: | The leaves go golden brown in autumn. |
| Flowers: | Hornbeam flowers are green and not very noticeable, but look very similar to catkins. |
| Tree height and girth in 2023: | Height 13.5 m and girth 137 cm |
| Uses: | Wood is hard – used in construction or tools The name “Hornbeam” refers to its very hard wood which has hard to work but resists damage, making good butcher’s blocks, mallets and balls. |
| Introduction Date: | ‘Incisa’ has become the commonest name under which hornbeams are grown whose leaf margin’s double-toothing is sufficiently exaggerated to count as lobing. This is one of the oldest selected variants of the species and was described at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 1789 by William Aiton. |
| Anecdotes and Comments | Rated County champion in 2023 by height and girth by The Tree Register. Rather rare. |