Fagus

Family: Fagaceae
Common Name: Beech

Widely distributed through temperate areas of the northern hemisphere, beech is valued as an ornamental for its lovely foliage and fall color. It is also prized for its timber. These large, deciduous trees are grown in mixed woodland gar-dens and parks and as specimen trees. Common beech is used extensively for hedging in Britain.

Species

F. grandifolia, American beech, zone 4, is a spreading tree, to about 10 m (33 ft), that may be as wide as it is high.

F. sylvatica, known as common beech, zone 5, may grow to 25 m (80 ft) high and 15 m (50 ft) wide. The dark green foliage is silky when young and turns a rich golden brown in fall. Nuts contain­ing triangular seeds are also shed in fall. The form purpurea is the copper beech, recognizable by its deep burgundy to purple foliage which turns a brilliant copper color in fall. 'Aspleniifolia', fern leaf beech, has narrow leaves, deeply cut into slender lobes; 'Dawyck' is a very upright form, 7-8 m (23-26 ft) tall; 'Riversii', with very deep purple leaves, must be grafted to maintain its color; 'Zlatia' has yellow foliage when young which turns green through summer and colors a rich yellow in fall.

F. syl­vatica f. pendula, the weeping beech, is an out-standing specimen tree with pendulous branches from which thick drapes of foliage hang down.

Cultivation

Although adaptable to a wide range of soils and conditions, beech prefers well-drained soil of moderate fertility. These trees can be planted in full sun or dappled shade, though copper beech needs full sun to produce the most intense foliage color. The yellow-leaved forms prefer partial shade.

Climate

Cool to cold climates.