• slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide

European Beech

Botanical Name
Fagus sylvatica
Hardiness
Zones 4 to 7
Height
50 to 60 feet
Width
35 to 45 feet
Flowers
April or May: Monoecious (separate male and female flowers on the same tree), not of ornamental importance
Fruit
Four-lobed husk covered with bristles containing 2 triangular nuts
Fall Color
Golden bronze
Light
Full sun
Soil
Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic
Planting & Care
  • Transplant as balled and burlap in early spring
Problems
None serious if sited correctly
Varieties
  • Tricolor - variegated leaves of purple, pink and cream; provide some shade to prevent leaf scorch
  • Tortuosa - contorted trunk and branches, 15'
  • Purple Fountain - weeping, purple foliage, slow growing
  • Asplenifolia - lacy leaves, deeply cut lobes
  • Purpurea - once called the Copper Beech, dark purple leaf out with leaves maturing to dark green, bronzy-green fall color
  • Fastigiata - upright, fastigiate form, green leaves
  • Red Obelisk - upright, fastigiate form, red leaves
  • Dawyck Gold - upright, fastigiate form, yellow leaves
  • Riversii - dark purple leaves, almost black when emerging, holds color all summer
  • Rohanii - vigorous grower, reddish purple leaves when emerging, maturing to brownish-purple, crisped margins (kinky hairs on edge of leaf, visible early season)
  • Rotundifolia - small 1-inch leaves with 2 to 4 pairs of veins, round to vase-shaped form

Related Content

Upcoming Live Events
& Webinars


April 3, 2024
Garden Trends 

Franklin Public Library, Franklin, WI

April 10, 2024
FREE WEBINAR

Container Gardening Throughout the Year
Register now

April 11, 2024
FREE WEBINAR

7 Steps to Managing Water Where it Falls in Your Yard
Register now

April 17, 2024
Landscaping for Birds: 
A Gardener’s Perspective

Glendale, WI 

April 18, 2024
Be a Waterwise Gardener
Golden Rondelle Theater, Racine, WI
Register now

April 20, 2024
Pruning Hydrangeas and Other Shrubs 
Pasquesi Home & Gardens, Lake Bluff, IL

April 27, 2024
Ridges & Rivers Book Festival
Viroqua, WI

April 28, 2024
Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Ebert's Greenhouse Village, Ixonia, WI

May 1, 2024
FREE WEBINAR

Ornamental Fruits and Vegetables
Register now

May 4, 2024
Garden U 2024 

New Richmond, WI
Register now

May 9, 2024
FREE WEBINAR

How to Plant Your Rain Garden
Register now

WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS

Learn More

Book an Appearance

Learn More

Enter to Win The Birds & Blooms' Ultimate Gardening Guide !

ENTER NOW