The Trees at Keele
Fang's Hornbeam Carpinus fangiana
It is a recent introduction to the UK from SW China. It is named after Fang Wen-Pei (1899-1983), a Chinese botanist and expert on the trees of Sichuan, who first collected this species near Nanchuan Xian, in southeastern Sichuan, near Chongqing. It often grows as a large multi-stemmed shrub but in the right circumstances can reach to 20m. The narrowly oval, double-toothed leaves have prominent veins and are up to 27cm long. They emerge purple-bronze in spring, becoming olive-green. As the tree matures it will produce pale green female , papery catkins up to 50cm long leading to its alternative name of Monkeytail Hornbeam.
Location : one outside the Hornbeam Building; square L7; tag 1041.