The hornbeam belongs to the birch family. This deciduous monoecious tree, growing to 10–20 m in length, has almost 60 species. Distribution range includes Europe, the south of Canada and the USA, countries of East Asia. The largest number of varieties is found in China, Iran and Japan. Some of them are fruit bearing. In Russia and the CIS countries common, Caucasian hornbeam is common. In the Primorsky Territory, there is a heart-shaped one.
Description
European hornbeam grows on the European part on calcareous soils with good humidity, does not tolerate marshy or acidic areas, is very photophilous. This species is characterized by moderate frost resistance, rarely sick and damaged by pests. Sometimes, after prolonged droughts, trees fall prey to the attack of the sapwood beetle. Other misfortunes that can destroy him: core rot or drying of the top. Stretches up to 8–18 m.
Due to the poor tolerance of severe frosts, the tree is more common in the southern, southwestern regions and areas with a temperate climate. In the north, it does not grow.
The trunk of the hornbeam is silver-gray, up to 40 cm in diameter, with a bark smooth or covered with small cracks and flexible strong shoots. Almost never grows upright. Crohn ovate, very thick. The leaves are elongated, serrated, bright green in color, slightly pubescent in the lower part, covered with cirrus convex veins, arranged in two rows. During the leaves blooming, the tree throws flowers - brownish long earrings. In female plants, they reach 15 cm in length, in male plants - about 6 cm. The hornbeam is pollinated by the wind. The leaves of this tree very beautifully fade in the fall, turning from green to bright yellow, pinkish and orange-red. The fruits are small dark brown nuts with longitudinal grooves, ripening in late autumn. The hornbeam has a superficial, but powerful and developed root system. Propagated by seeds and cuttings. Uncontrolled growth leads to the formation of dense hornbeam thickets, which are impassable.
There are several forms of common hornbeam, distinguished by crown and leaves: columnar, oak-leaved, weeping, pyramidal.
Trees of this species grow very slowly, among them there are many centenarians. The average age of a hornbeam is 150-200 years. A rich green crown, the ability to maintain shape for a long time after cutting allows you to use varieties of hornbeam as hedges, landscaping alleys, parks, squares, recreation areas. Trees perfectly absorb city noise, refresh the atmosphere and ennoble the landscape. Spherical, triangular, cubic figures or silhouettes of animals and fairy-tale heroes are cut from them. In the Far East, Japanese hornbeam is grown - an ornamental breed that is excellent for landscaping.
In the forests, the hornbeam feels best next to conifers. Robbers - deciduous or mixed forests with a predominance of common hornbeam - are common in Central and Eastern Europe. In Russia and the CIS, such forests exist in the Caucasus, Crimea, Carpathians.
In some botanical gardens in Europe, Caroline and Vergin hornbeam species are planted. These trees have low frost resistance, a thin trunk and a light green crown. At home, in North America, they are found along river banks, rarely grow above 4–7 m and have the appearance of high branched shrubs.
Wood characteristic
Hornbeam wood is classified as sapwood scattered vascular species that does not have a core. The cross section on it allows you to consider frequent thin annual ring marks, different in width and forming a chaotic mottled pattern. The light gray or whitish color of the fresh material turns yellow some time after being outdoors. Layers of different ages almost do not differ in density, that is, wood is single-density. After processing, the hornbeam does not acquire shine, being a smooth smooth light surface with a slightly pronounced texture.
The moisture content of fresh lumber is about 60%. The volumetric coefficient of swelling and shrinkage depending on the species is from 0.50 to 0.70%, radial - 0.20-0.26%, tangential - 0.3-0.4%. This means that hornbeam refers to strongly drying species that can crack or warp during processing. Such capricious properties require the use of the mildest conditions.drying and special finishes. But competently processed material is highly stable and resistant to destruction during operation at low or moderate humidity.
The hornbeam has an extremely high density and is difficult to machine with turning tools, and it is almost impossible to manually cut something out of it due to its high viscosity. The average density of wood is 790-820 kg / m³, which is not much less than that of white acacia - one of the densest species. Brinell strength is 3.5 units. The hornbeam is resistant to stretching, squeezing, chipping and bending. Its mechanical characteristics are 30% superior to oak.
Before using any type of fastener, preliminary drilling of the material is required. It holds screws and nails perfectly, which is well suited to ensure the connection of furniture and complex parts.
When using fresh wood in everyday life, it is recommended to cut and grind the material until it is dried - in this form it is easier to process.
Despite the natural high density and wear resistance, the hornbeam is considered to be a rather complex and impractical breed, as it quickly soaks, and is prone to damage by fungus and other biological pathogens. Without additional pickling and finishing, it is not used, and is not suitable for external work. The twisted structure of the fibers and the low ability to glue does not allow the hornbeam to be used as a structural building material: plywood or glued beams. For outdoor work it is not used. Indoors, the surface of the hornbeam should be covered with protective impregnations and thick layers of varnish. Do not use the material in rooms with high humidity.
Scopes and features of application
This wood finds its purpose where resistance to shock loads is needed: in the manufacture of decorative elements, mechanism parts, and sports items. From it produce:
- golf clubs, billiard cues;
- weaving shuttles;
- agricultural implements;
- cases and elements of vultures of violins, guitars, details of pianos, other musical instruments;
- cutting boards, knife handles;
- caskets, toys, souvenirs, picture frames, panels and photographs;
- furniture, parquet, interior decoration details.
Thanks to the noble light pearl color and durability, hornbeam wood has a high artistic value and is used in the creation of mosaic patterns, friezes and decorative elements.
Details of propellers are made from hornbeam in aircraft construction.
On average, the price of 1 m³ of wood, depending on the manufacturer, is 40,000–46,000 rubles.
It is believed that furniture or decoration from this type of wood relieves fatigue, gives physical strength, helps to coordinate thoughts and actions, to get rid of a bad mood.
Black hornbeam
The light structure of the tree with a slightly expressed natural pattern makes it attractive for the manufacture of various imitations. A black hornbeam is obtained by etching the material, which is similar in properties and appearance to an ebony tree. For high-quality staining, nigrosins are used - special mixtures based on aniline, nitrobenzene and hydrochloric acid, dissolved in water or alcohols. They give the material a clean, bright color that is not afraid of exposure to direct sunlight. Professional etching involves through-dyeing the entire thickness of the material, rather than surface coating. It is not recommended to etch wood on its own, since when using self-made chemical dyes, it can lose strength, become loose or unevenly dye. The expertly made black hornbeam imitated under ebony has a very dark purple hue, which does not fade and does not fade over time, does not get dirty when exposed to a mechanical surface. Black hornbeam is sold in small batches in the form of small bars.
The so-called non-business low-grade hornbeam wood is used as a raw material in the hydrolysis production of the chemical industry, for the manufacture of charcoal, as a fuel material in everyday life.
With proper use, the hornbeam can become an element of a beautiful landscape, serve as a high-quality and exquisite material for the manufacture of interior items or decorations.