hornbeam 'Lucas'

A medium-sized, deciduous tree, with smooth, grey bark which darkens with age. It forms a narrow, pyramid-shaped crown and can reach 10m (33ft) in height when mature. It bears bright-green foliage in spring and summer, which turns a rich golden yellow in autumn. It can often hold its dead, brown leaves through the winter, before shedding them in spring when it comes into growth once more. The green, male and female catkins are produced separately on the same tree in April and May. The female flowers after fertilisation, develop into hop-like clusters in late summer to autumn, containing winged seeds which disperse on the wind when ripe.