Michigan State University Extension
Ornamental Plants plus Version 3.0 - 00000609
11/12/99

Fagus sylvatica--European Beech


Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
Height: 55 ft Spread: 55 ft Form: (Vis. 10) rounded
Type: deciduous tree
Annual Growth Rate: less than 12 inches

Comments: European Beech grows slowly, is hard to
transplant and prefers a sunny location and a moist, light
soil. The main ornamental features are smooth (Vis. 9),
gray bark and the shape of the tree. Various cultivars
offer variety in the form of foliage color.

Cultivars:
'Asplenifolia' - The leaves are cut, providing a fine
texture (Vis. 1).
'Atropunica' - The spring foliage is deep red but
changes to coppery green and finally to green as time
passes.
'Aurea Pendula' - A weeping habit is combined with yellow
spring foliage.
'Bornyensis' - The drooping branches hang from a
straight, upright trunk.
'Cockleshell' - An upright plant with small, round leaves
and a slow growth habit.
'Cuprea' - The leaves (Vis. 2) are purplish in the spring
but copper colored in late summer.
'Dawyck' ('Dawyckii', 'Fastigiata') - A columnar form
reaching a height of 60 feet and a spread of 30 feet
(Vis. 3).
'Dawyckii Gold' - A fastigiate form with golden foliage
in spring becoming green in summer.
'Dawyckii Purple' - A narrow, columnar tree with deep
purple foliage.
'Laciniata' - A 60-foot tree with deeply serrated green
leaves.
'Pendula' - This weeping cultivar (Vis. 5) has green
leaves and will be 60 feet tall and 50 feet wide.
'Purple Fountain' - A small tree with purple foliage
and drooping branches.
'Purpurea' - The foliage ranges from purple to purplish
green on plants grown from seed.
'Purpurea Pendula' - Slow growing, without a central
leader, its weeping habit (Vis. 6) forms a broad purple
dome.
'Red Obelisk' - A narrow plant with purple, dissected
leaves.
'Riversii' - The leaves are deep purple (Vis. 7) in
spring and hold a good purple-bronze color throughout
the summer.
'Rohan Obelisk' - An upright form with purple leaves.
'Rohani' - The leaves have a purple cast to them when
they emerge.
'Rohani Trompenburg' - The purple foliage is fern-like.
The tree needs full sun and has an upright growth
habit.
'Roseo-marginata' ('Tricolor') - The leaves are purple
with irregular green and pink markings (Vis. 8). Grow
the tree in partial shade.
'Rotundifolia' - This cultivar is distinct for its
round leaves.
'Spathiana' - Good purple foliage throughout the
growing season.
'Swat Margret' - The dark purple leaves are produced on
a tree 50 feet tall.
'Tortuosa' - This spreading tree has twisted branches.
'Zlatia' - The new leaves open yellow but later fade to
green.

References for Cultivars: J. Frank Schmidt & Son 1999, Ray
Wiegand's Nursery 1999, Princeton Nurseries 1997, Weston
Nurseries 1999, Lake County Nursery 1999, Monrovia Nursery
Company 1997, Wayside Gardens 1996, Sheridan Nurseries
1999, Moller's Nursery 1997, Iseli Nursery 1999, Scarff's
Nursery 1999, Gee Farms 1999, Willoway Nurseries 1999.


Go To Top of File        Michigan State University Extension Home Page        Main Page for this Data Base        MNLA Web Site
This information is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned. This information becomes public property upon publication and may be printed verbatim with credit to MSU Extension. Reprinting cannot be used to endorse or advertise a commercial product or company. This file was generated from data base ZZ on 01/19/00. Data base ZZ was last revised on 11/12/99. For more information about this data base or its contents please contact heatley@msue.msu.edu . Please read our disclaimer for important information about using our site.