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Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED

Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED

Rockhampton Red Hornbeam

synonym Carpinus betulus 'lochglow'

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Description

Carpinus betulus ‘ROCKHAMPTON RED’ (hornbeam ‘Rockhampton Red’, synonym Carpinus betulus ‘Lochglow’) is a striking hornbeam cultivar which stands out thanks to its reliable red autumn colour. It shares the same growth rate and appearance as that of the common hornbeam Carpinus betulus. In 1995, a seedling of this hornbeam attracted the attention of Geoff Locke - between vast quantities of seedlings of the common hornbeam - at the Mount Pleasant Tree Nursery in Rockhampton, United Kingdom. This tree was brought out under licence in 2018. ‘Rockhampton Red’ develops a broadly egg-shaped crown approximately fifteen metres tall and ten metres wide.

In October this special cultivar puts on a truly spectacular display thanks to its unique quality: autumn colour in an array of beautiful hues - from bright orange to deep red. These colours are a match for those of the autumn colour of Carpinus caroliniana and can easily rival the autumnal foliage of Liquidambar, Acer and Parrotia. The colours remain visible until the end of November after which they change to brown and the foliage stays on the tree for most of the winter. In the spring the leaves emerge light green before changing to matt green in the summer. The bark and branches of ‘Rockhampton Red’ are both grey.

In terms of uses and applications, Carpinus betulus ‘ROCKHAMPTON RED’ is very straightforward. It is not particular about soil and even dry, wet, poor and chalky soils are not a problem. Wind too does not pose any kind of challenge and the tree anchors firmly. Humus-rich, loamy soils are its favourite. Like the species, this cultivar responds well to pruning, making it an excellent choice for pleached forms or hedging. ‘Rockhampton Red’, of course, also makes a very good avenue, park and garden tree. As a cultivar of the Western European native hornbeam, this tree can also be used in natural settings where it will be especially eye-catching in autumn.

Types of planting

Tree types

standard trees half-stem trees feathered trees multi-stemmed trees shade trees characteristic trees solitary shrubs

Topiary on stem

fval espalier fval pleached

Topiary

hedge hedge hedge element hedge element espalier espalier pleached pleached

Use

Location

avenue park central reservation in containers large garden small garden cemetery traffic areas, industrial zones countryside windbreak

Pavement

none none

Planting concepts

landscape planting shade-tolerant

Characteristics

Crown shape

wide egg-shaped wide egg-shaped

Crown structure

dense dense

Height

10 - 15 m

Width

6 - 10 m

Winter hardiness zone

5A - 8B

Aspects

Wind

tolerant to wind

Soil

loess sabulous clay peaty heavy clay light clay sand loamy soil all soils

Nutrient level

moderately rich in nutrients rich in nutrients

Soil moisture level

dry moist

Light requirements

sun partial shade shade

pH range

acidic neutral alkaline

Host plant/forage plant

birds

Extreme environments

tolerant to dryness

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Photos

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high-stem standard tree
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED standard tree
high-stem standard tree
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED standard tree
feathered feathered
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED feathered
feathered feathered
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED feathered
leaves leaves
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED leaves
autumn-leaves autumn leaves
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED autumn leaves
autumn-leaves autumn leaves
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED autumn leaves
autumn-leaves autumn leaves
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED autumn leaves
autumn-leaves autumn leaves
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED autumn leaves
autumn-leaves autumn leaves
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED autumn leaves
autumn-leaves autumn leaves
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED autumn leaves
twigs twigs
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED twigs
twigs twigs
Carpinus betulus ROCKHAMPTON RED twigs

Flowers

Flowers

catkins pendulous

Flower colour

yellow-green

Flowering period

April - May

Leaves

Leaf colour

matt green buds pale green

Leaves

deciduous ovate doubly serrate

Autumn colour

orange orange-red red scarlet dark red

Fruits

Fruit colour

brown

Fruits

winged small nut

Bark

Bark colour

grey

Bark

smooth

Twigs

Twig colour

grey

Twigs

bare finely branched

Root system

Root system

shallow slightly branched central root

For and by green professionals

The TreeEbb is a platform for and by green professionals, in which we collect knowledge and experience from the sector and make this available for users. All the details and photos are free to use for non-commercial purposes. Want to share your tree knowledge? Send photographs and additional information to treeebb@ebben.nl

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Winter hardiness

A plant's winter hardiness is the coldest area in which it is frost-resistant. This is based on the average annual minimum temperature. Winter hardiness zones are thirteen different frost zones in steps of 5.5 degrees Celsius. This format is an international standard for the hardiness of plants. The zones in which the plant is frost-resistant are always included in the description of trees and other vegetation.

Winter hardiness is a genetic characteristic and is not influenced by the location in which the plant is cultivated. This means that a plant that has been cultivated for many years in winter-hardiness zone 6 but has a winter hardiness of 3 is perfectly suited for replanting in a colder zone. It will thrive there thanks to its genetic characteristics.

When choosing planting for a project, the winter hardiness of the plants is extremely important. By choosing species that match the zone in which the project is being created, it is possible to ensure that plants can withstand the minimum temperature in that area.

Winter hardiness map
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