Carpinus betulus
- Height: up to 20 m
- Trunk: smooth, dark grey bark, often deeply furrowed with age, twisted growth, often multi-stemmed
- Leaves: alternate, narrow-ovate with a short tip, ribbed surface, light green, double-serrated at the leaf margin (large and smaller teeth)
- Buds: fawn-brown with light-colored edges on the individual bud scales
- Flowers: male yellow catkins (up to 10 cm) hang laterally; female green inflorescences are inconspicuous at shoot tips, in May/June
- Fruits/Seeds: conspicuous seed clusters on three-lobed bracts in September/October, dispersed by wind as winged seeds
- Other: tolerates pruning very well, therefore also found as a hedge or topiary
Photos: BUND Naturschutz in Bayern (1,2,3), Thomas Stephan (4)