Fagus - Growing Guide

Growing Fagus

Beech

Fortunately this is one of the easier care articles to write as there are only in fact 10 species of deciduous beech trees worldwide and growing improved varieties of our own native European beech trees is not exactly that difficult! Burncoose stocks popular varieties of Fagus sylvatica (Common Beech) so this makes it even simpler and leaves visitors to the website to decide for themselves which leaf colours or habits they want in their own gardens as specimen plants.

Fagus  click for larger image
Fagus
F. sylvatica 'Zlatia'  click for larger image
F. sylvatica 'Zlatia'

F. sylvatica    ‘Aspleniifolia’, the Fern leafed beech, has slender leaves cut into narrow lobes.

F. sylvatica    ‘Aspleniifolia’  click for larger image
F. sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’
F. sylvatica    ‘Aspleniifolia’  click for larger image
F. sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’
F. sylvatica    ‘Aspleniifolia’  click for larger image
F. sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’
F. sylvatica    ‘Aspleniifolia’  click for larger image
F. sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’
F. sylvatica    ‘Aspleniifolia’  click for larger image
F. sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’

‘Dawyck’ has an upright, columnar, or flame shaped growth habit and green leaves.

F. sylvatica 'Dawyck'  click for larger image
F. sylvatica 'Dawyck'

‘Dawyck Gold’ is compact and columnar in habit with yellow young leaves turning green

Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Gold' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Gold'
Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Gold' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Gold'

‘Dawyck Purple’ has a similar growth habit with purple leaves.

Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purple' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purple'
Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purpurea' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purpurea'
Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purpurea' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purpurea'
Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purpurea'  click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Purpurea'

‘Pendula’, the Weeping beech, has pendulous branches that trail to the ground.

F. sylvatica 'Pendula'   click for larger image
F. sylvatica 'Pendula'

‘Purpurea’, Copper beech, has purple leaves which turn coppery in autumn.

F. sylvatica 'Purpurea'   click for larger image
F. sylvatica 'Purpurea'
F. sylvatica 'Purpurea'  click for larger image
F. sylvatica 'Purpurea'

‘Purpurea Pendula’, Weeping purple beech, is a mushroom shaped tree with weeping branches.

F.sylvatica 'Purpurea Pendula'   click for larger image
F.sylvatica 'Purpurea Pendula'
F. sylvatica 'Purpurea Pendula'  click for larger image
F. sylvatica 'Purpurea Pendula'

‘Purpurea Tricolor’ (syn. ‘Roseomarginata’) has purple leaves edged and striped pink or pinkish-white.

F. sylvatica 'Aurea' & 'Purpurea Tricolor'   click for larger image
F. sylvatica 'Aurea' & 'Purpurea Tricolor'

‘Riversii’ has exceptionally deep purple leaves.

Fagus sylvatica 'Riversii' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Riversii'
Fagus sylvatica 'Riversii' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Riversii'
Fagus sylvatica 'Riversii' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Riversii'

‘Rohanii’ has deeply cut purple leaves.

Fagus sylvatica 'Rohanii' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Rohanii'
Fagus sylvatica 'Rohanii' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Rohanii'
Fagus sylvatica 'Rohanii' click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Rohanii'
Fagus sylvatica 'Rohanii' and coprosma repens click for larger image
Fagus sylvatica 'Rohanii' and coprosma repens

Burncoose now offers two other interesting species of beech:

Fagus orientalis, Oriental beech, is a spreading tree with larger leaves than F. sylvatica which turn yellow-brown in autumn.

Fagus orientalis click for larger image
Fagus orientalis
Fagus orientalis click for larger image
Fagus orientalis

Fagus longipetiolata – is a newly introduced species with different shaped leaves. These are larger, long and tapering. The new growth is bronzy and the leaves turn coppery-brown in autumn.

Fagus longipetiolata click for larger image
Fagus longipetiolata
Fagus longipetiolata click for larger image
Fagus longipetiolata
Fagus longipetiolata click for larger image
Fagus longipetiolata

Pruning beech hedge - Video Tip


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