Common beech and hornbeam are at the top of the wish list of the best hedge plants. The young bushes from the nursery cannot be seen to show how vigorous they are. Read information about the maximum growth height of a cut and uncut beech hedge here.
How high can a beech hedge grow?
A cut beech hedge can reach a maximum height of 400 cm, while uncut specimens can grow up to 1000 cm or higher. With annual growth of 30 to 50 cm, beech hedges are among the fast-growing hedge plants.
What height can a beech hedge reach?
A beech hedge can reach a maximum height of400 cmif you cut back the hedge plants annually. Your beech hedge will remain uncut1000 cm or higher.
These heights apply to a red beech hedge and a hornbeam hedge. The common beech (Fagus sylvatica) belongs to the beech genus (Fagus). The hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is a native birch tree (Betulaceae). Both deciduous trees can reach 30 meters high in the wild. Through regular pruning, the trees that tolerate pruning branch out and do not form a thick trunk. This is how the well-known, representative beech hedges are created.
How fast does a beech hedge grow?
With annual growth of 30 cm to50 cmthe beech hedge is one of thegrowth rockets among hedge plants. Of course, it will take a few years for your beech hedge to reach the desired height as a privacy screen. You can speed up height growth a little with these measures:
- Fertilize beech hedges in March and June with compost and horn shavings (€32.00 on Amazon).
- Thinning and topiary in February.
- Care cutting in summer.
- Stepwise pruning of hornbeam hedges and copper beech hedges: leave 10 cm of previous growth on the hedge crown until the desired height is reached.
Tip
Coordinate the planting distance with the beech hedge height
The beech hedge will not become a bone of contention with your neighbors if you adhere to the legally required distance limit. Check with the relevant office before planting your red beech or hornbeam hedge. In most federal states, hedges up to a height of 200 cm must maintain a distance of at least 50 cm from the property line. For higher hedges, a limit distance of at least 100 cm is required.
