Lighting:
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Partial shade in summer, otherwise full sun.
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Temperature:
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Fairly cold hardy - most species to zone 5, but
the American hornbeam is hardy in even colder climates.
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Watering:
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Moderate, increasing in summer. Never let the soil dry
completely.
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Feeding:
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Feeding instructions vary greatly. Simon and Schuster's
Guide recommends feeding Every 20-30 days, stopping for a month-long
break in midsummer. The advice to stop feeding in July-August is
echoed by the Samsons. Tomlinson is far more aggressive, recommending
a weekly feeding for the first month after bud-burst, switching to
every two weeks until late summer. Ordinary plant food at half
strength is fine, as is bonsai fertilizer. Of course, the whole
controversy can be avoided with time-released pellets. Do not feed
for two months after repotting. C. laxiflora may experience
branch die-back if underfed.
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Repotting:
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Every 2-3 years in early spring. Use basic bonsai
soil.
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Styling:
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Can be wired from spring to autumn - some bark
protection may be needed, but the hornbeam is fairly sturdy for
a deciduous tree. Accepts repeated pruning, quickly healing
scars. Prune back to the first pair of leaves on new shoots.
The best times for minor pruning are early spring and after
flowering. Major developmenta pruning should be done in late
winter, before bud burst. It may be necessary to cut back radically
at the apex, but to prune the lower portions of the tree conservatively,
especially with the Japanese species, to check its rapid apicial g
rowth. Defoliation to reduce leaf size is possible, but will
inhibit flowering and fruiting.
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Propagation:
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From seed. Fresh seed in fall is best - sow
immediately. Otherwise, seed must be cold treated and planted
in late winter. Seed which has been dried may need up to a year
to germinate. Murata warns that it is difficult to get viable seed
from C. japonica, as there is little overlap in flowering time between
the male and female flowers. May also be propagated by cuttings and air
layering in spring.
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Pests etc.:
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Red spider mites, caterpillars, powdery mildew, leaf
spot. As the tree ages, branches may die back for no discernable
reason.
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