Plantcompass

General Information

Family: Birch Family (Betulaceae)
Flowering period in Central Europe: Early spring to full spring
Months: 3–5

Allergy potential
Low allergenicity.

Cross-reactions
Hornbeam pollen can cause cross-reactions in individuals sensitized to other birch family members (birch, alder, hazel).

Botanical Information

Distribution
Widely distributed in temperate climates of the Northern Hemisphere with warm summers. Habitats — Deciduous forests, plains to low altitudes (mostly below 1000 m).

Morphology
Habit — Tree or shrub. Foliage — Summer-green, leaves ovate, leaf apex acute, leaf margin doubly serrate. Reproduction — ♂ catkins, ♀ flowers in pairs in the axil of a bract, characteristic three-lobed winged fruit with a single nut.

Commonly occurring species in Europe

European or common hornbeam (Carpinus betulus).
Habit — Tree. Habitats — Summer-green forests, plains to low altitudes. Also cultivated as hedging. Flowering period in Central Europe — Late March to May.