Our forty-third tree, Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). As hard as horn, and... well... 'beam' just means 'tree'. A beautiful leafy canopy supporting biodiversity year-round, it has been used by humans for centuries to smelt iron and to harness the power of beasts, and you probably just thought it was an odd Beech tree! Truth is, it should be more loved than it is... because it isn't planning on going anywhere anytime soon! More from David Oakes as he uproots the secrets and stories beneath the 56(ish) Native Trees of the British Isles can be found at: https://www.treesacrowd.fm/56Trees/ Weekly episodes available early AND bonus content made free to forage by "Subscribtion Squirrels" on our Patreon. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.