Carpinus laxiflora

Asian hornbeam is a deciduous tree in the birch or Betulaceae family and is native to China, Korea and northern Japan. It can reach a height of about 15 m.

• Young shoots are at first silky-hairy, turning glabrous.
• Leaves are alternate, simple, ovate to oval, 2.3–8 cm long and 1–3.5 cm across, rounded or slightly heart-shaped at the base, abruptly narrowing to a long and slender point, doubly toothed, glabrous except for a few silky hairs and axil-tufts on the underside. Veins have a corrugated appearance.
• Male and female catkins are loosely pendulous, 5–7.5 cm long, the bracts 1.2–2 cm long, usually three-lobed at the base, the middle lobe narrow and jagged on one side. Nutlets slightly dotted with resin, appearing in spring at the same time as the leaves.