Content
- What's better: a beech hedge or a hornbeam hedge?
- Beech trees are more picky at the location
- The planting distance to houses and sidewalks
- Beech trees are poisonous, hornbeams are not
- The difference of leaf color
- Both trees give good hedges
- Tips
Hornbeam hedges also tolerate shady locations
What's better: a beech hedge or a hornbeam hedge?
The question of whether a beech hedge or rather a hornbeam hedge should be planted in the garden, can not be easily answered. Both trees differ only in a few points from each other. Ultimately, the location and your own taste decide.
Beech trees are more picky at the location
Beech trees are more picky than hornbeams in terms of location. The hornbeam is not a beech, but belongs to the birches.
Beech hives prefer one:
while a hornbeam hedge copes with shadows.
A hornbeam hedge tolerates short periods of drought, because it has much deeper roots. It can even be planted on slopes.
The planting distance to houses and sidewalks
An important criterion is the planting distance of the hedge to walls, houses or sidewalks. Beech trees are flat-rooters that form very strong roots. You can damage the masonry or lift pavement slabs. They should not be planted near utility lines because they blow up the pipes.
A hornbeam hedge can be placed close to walls or roads. The heart root penetrates deep into the earth and thus represents no danger for supply lines, masonry or paving slabs.
Beech trees are poisonous, hornbeams are not
An important point in the selection is the toxicity of the plants. This is especially important when children or animals live in the house.
Beech trees, especially beechnuts, contain toxins that cause mild poisoning.
The hornbeam is completely non-toxic. It can be planted without hesitation on horse pastures or in kindergartens.
The difference of leaf color
In spring and summer, beech hedge and hornbeam hedge hardly differ in leaf color.
The fall foliage, however, is different. Beech leaves turn bright orange while hornbeam leaves turn yellow.
Both trees give good hedges
Both beech hedges and hornbeam hedges provide a good visual protection, because the leaves of the summer green trees are sometimes stuck to the trees until the next spring.
Both types of hedge must be cut twice a year.
Tips
Red beech trees prefer a mild climate. If the weather is rough you should rather plant a hornbeam hedge.