The tree is on a slightly different schedule due to its sap flow being so hindered by the massive amount of bark damage, in which rot and decay is likely to claim the tree before it ever would have the chance to at all possibly heal ... sorry, but best the tree be removed.

I planted IIRC 16 columnar hornbeams 10yrs ago, their first winter here ALL of them had severe damage from frost crack. They were all planted on the southwest side of our property. I pulled all of them out..if they cant handle one normal winter here then they aren't the right fit for my yard. I'm sorry your tree had similar damage.

Golly, I am sorry to hear that, that must have been disappointing. The other seven are doing great (touch wood), which is partly fuelling my concern that the one that was frost damaged wasn't a great tree from the start. The others all have good, solid central trunks, too. Btw, I also have 250+ American hornbeam (bare root) trees planted in a hedge. We had a 20 or so failures over the first couple of years that we replaced and now its 6 foot+ and very dense. One of the attractions of hornbeam was that it‘s pretty tough and tolerant of different conditions, but maybe the columnar ones aren’t perhaps as reliable, possibly?

"maybe the columnar ones aren’t perhaps as reliable, possibly?"

That has not been my experience. I find them to be tough as nails :-) Fast growing, never any disease or insect issues and tolerant of a range of conditions. 'Fastigiata' is used extensively here for street and freeway plantings but I prefer 'Frans Fontaine' for residential uses as it stays significantly narrower.

They make a great privacy screen as even without leaves in winter, the branch structure is thick and dense.

All 3 forms (straight species, Fastigiata and Frans Fontaine) are included in the PNW's Great Plant Picks - highly recommended plants for area gardeners. (I also grow 'Nana' in a large container).

I agree, Gardengal they're amazing trees, just don't plant them on the southwest portion of your property. lol