User:DavidAnstiss/Copper beech (tree)

Copper beech
Species	F. sylvatica
Cultivar group	Fagus sylvatica Purpurea Group

Fagus sylvatica purpurea leaves

The Copper beech, (or Purple Beech sometimes referred to as Fagus sylvatica purpurea), is a mutation of the European beech which was first noted in 1690 in the "Possenwald" forest near the town of Sondershausen in Thuringia, Germany. It is assumed that about 99% of all copper beeches in the world are descendants of this copper beech. It leaves are purple, in many selections turning deep spinach green by mid-summer. In the United States, American botanist Charles Sprague Sargent noted the earliest appearance in a nurseryman's catalogue in 1820, but in 1859 "the finest copper beech in America... more than fifty feet high" was noted in the grounds of Thomas Ash, Esq., Throggs Neck, New York; it must have been more than forty years old at the time.

Description

Copper beech in spring, Union Street, Torquay

Copper beech and bench in St. Johannis-Kirchhof cemetary in Wedding (Berlin)

Bark The copper beech's bark is light gray and fairly smooth, though it can have a wrinkled appearance. The bark is thin, so is easily damaged and highly sensitive to sunlight. Old individuals that are suddenly exposed to the sun, through the felling of surrounding trees for example, can suffer sunburn. This can actually cause the tree to die! As can be seen here, the branches grow high up on the trunk and occur in an alternating arrangement. The copper beech can grow to over 30m - even up to 42m! But in exposed locations, as in this case, it will be shorter - usually between 15m and 24m and broader in its canopy. The leaves of the copper beech are alternate, simple, entire margined (no teeth) and highly imbricate, or overlapping. This arrangement is very efficient for the tree because it means it can capture the maximum amount of sunlight. However, it also means that the ground beneath is heavily shaded and also doesn't receive as much rainfall. In a forest dominated by beech trees you are likely to find the ground covered in rotting leaves and fungi, rather than other understory plants and flowers. The leaves, when very young, are edible. One interesting behaviours in beeches is that they do not lose their leaves in the fall. Instead they may remain dry and brown on the tree until spring. This phenomenon is called marcescence and occurs most frequently in saplings and when the trees are clipped into hedges and on the lower branches of mature trees. This particular tree shows partial marcescence, typical of an individual this size. The copper beech is monoecious, which means that its flowers are unisexual but that both male and female flowers occur on the same tree. The male flowers cluster in drooping, long-stemmed catkins while the female flowers are born in pairs. It usually flowers in April or early May, though exact timing is climate dependent. As can be seen above, the flowers are small, yellow-green, and wind pollinated. When pollinated, the female flowers of the copper beech develop into these triangular-shaped nuts (also called "mast") that are enclosed in these spiny bracts (modified leaves also called "cupules" or "husks"). Beechnuts ripen in the fall and can be eaten by humans. Small quantities of nuts can be produced from around ten years of age but typically a heavy crop is only seen after 30 years of growth. Both flower and fruit production is particularly abundant after a hot, dry, and sunny summer the previous year. There is usually a bumper crop of beech mast every four or five years.

DESCRIPTION Height: 50 to 75 feet Spread: 40 to 60 feet Crown uniformity: symmetrical canopy with a regular (or smooth) outline, and individuals have more or less identical crown forms Crown shape: oval Crown density: dense Growth rate: slow Texture: medium Foliage, Leaf arrangement: alternate (Fig. 3) Leaf type: simple Leaf margin: entire; undulate Leaf shape: elliptic (oval); ovate Leaf venation: pinnate Leaf type and persistence: deciduous Leaf blade length: 2 to 4 inches Leaf color: purple or red Fall color: copper Fall characteristic: showy Flower, Flower characteristics: inconspicuous and not showy; spring flowering Fruit, Fruit shape: oval Fruit length: .5 to 1 inch Fruit covering: dry or hard Fruit color: brown Fruit characteristics: attracts birds; suited for human consumption; inconspicuous and not showy; no significant litter problem Trunk and Branches Trunk/bark/branches: bark is thin and easily damaged from mechanical impact; droop as the tree grows, and will require pruning for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy; showy trunk; should be grown with a single leader; no thorns

It has delicate light-red coloured foliage, which is pale claret in the spring, becoming a deep purple in summer. In early autumn, the leaves almost entirely lose their purple colour and change back into dark dusky green. The buds, young shoots and fruits are also purple in colour. The involucres are deep purple brown in autumn becoming browner as the fall continues. The purple beech often fails to fruit regularly, but it can produce fruit which subsequently has been sown. Most seedling produced have purple leaves, less than 5% reverting back to green.

Genus Fagus are large deciduous trees with smooth grey bark, ovate leaves colouring well in autumn, and inconspicuous flowers followed by usually spiny fruits

This is an impressive purple-foliage form of the European Beech. A large deciduous tree which makes an excellent shade tree, particularly ideal used as a specimen in larger parks and gardens where its size is best accommodated. This deciduous tree has smooth, grey bark and deep purple foliage which turns a coppery-red in autumn before falling. It has inconspicuous flowers followed by spiny bracts which encase the beechnuts.

The European Copper Beech is a large deciduous tree typically growing to 50’-60’ tall with a dense upright oval to rounded spreading crown.

Though foliage is deep purple during spring, it changes to a showy copper hue in autumn. Copper beech trees take on a dense, oval to pyramidal shape. Generally growing to heights of 50 to 75 feet with a width of 40 to 60 feet, these trees can reach an ultimate height of 100 feet.

a large deciduous tree that can reach 40 metres tall when fully grown. In gardens, beech is a popular plant for hedging and pleaching. In autumn, the glossy green leaves turn beautiful shades of yellow and orange. Like hornbeam, beech has marcescent leaves i.e. dead leaves that are held on the plant through winter, before being pushed off by newly emerging leaves in spring.

height: up to 40 m (131 ft) leaf: The leaves of the Copper beech are ovate. The colour of the leaves can vary from dark red to red-green. In the sprouting leaves are dark red. The leaf margin is slightly serrated. leaf shape: ovoid leaf margin: toothed fall foliage: red - orange flowering: May blossom color: reddish blossom description: Inconspicuous bright red flower that appears with the leaf shoots. gender distribution: monoecious fruit: Spiky fruit capsule with two beechnuts. The beechnuts are slightly toxic. branches: The branches are gray-brown, bent back and forth and elastic. The light brown buds are long, narrow, pointed and protruding. bark: The bark is silver-gray and smooth. root: Heart-rooting plant with shallow widely branched roots. Roots are sensitive to soil compaction.

It grows to a height of more than 40m. The bark is smooth, thin and grey, often with slight horizontal etchings. Twigs are slender and grey but not straight – their shape resembles a zig-zag. Torpedo-shaped leaf buds are coppery and up to 2cm in length, with a distinctive criss-cross pattern. Leaves Deep purple in the spring, turning to a coppery hue in the autumn, oval and fringed with silky brown hairs. Flowers Monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers grow on the same tree. In April and May the copper beech’s tassel-like male catkins hang from long stalks at the end of twigs, while female flowers grow in pairs, surrounded by a cup. Fruits Once wind-pollinated, this cup becomes woody and encloses one or two reddish brown beech nuts (known as beechmast).

Morphology

The budding of the copper beech is triggered by a combination of lengthening days and increasing temperatures. The buds of the tree break open from mid-April to early-May. During the summer and fall, the beech invests significantly in the forthcoming spring. The conditions throughout the summer, especially in terms of rainfall, affect how many buds will be formed the following year. In the fall, the beech builds up reserves that will last it throughout the winter.

The fruit or “beechnut” of this species is edible and has a nutty flavour. They are a favourite of wildlife so it may be difficult to find any remaining nuts when the fruit bearing spiny husks open shortly after maturity in Autumn.

Fagus sylvatica and wildlife Fagus sylvatica is known for attracting beneficial insects and birds. It provides shelter and habitat, makes a good wildlife hedge, has seeds for birds and is a caterpillar food plant.

The inconspicuous flowers are pollinated by the wind and the fruits are three-sided nuts (called beech mast) inside spiky cases.

In addition to the utility of its timber, beech also provides nourishment for wildlife in the form of nuts, also known as beech mast. A bumper crop of these nuts is produced every four to five years when badgers, squirrels and many birds feast on them. Although edible they are rarely eaten by humans. Very young leaves are also edible.

The size and shape of Fagus sylvatica depends on its environment. Given space, the beech will spread its branches widely and can grow up to a massive 42 m (140 ft) high. In tightly packed woods, the tree will grow straight, with few side branches, to reach the light. This becomes an even greater priority with time.

The arrangement of leaves is such that they overlap, which, while efficient for the tree, shades the ground beneath and can also prevent rain from reaching it. So if the floor of the English wood you're walking through comprises little more than fungi and rotting leaves, it's probably a beech wood.

Value to wildlife As with common beech, the foliage of copper beech is eaten by the caterpillars of moths including the barred hook-tip, clay triple-lines and olive crescent. The seeds are eaten by mice, voles, squirrels and birds. Because beech trees live for so long they provide habitats for many deadwood specialists such as hole-nesting birds and wood-boring insects. The bark is often home to fungi, mosses and lichens.

Phytochemistry

The purple colour in the leaves and the rest of the tree, is due a colouring matter in the cells of the epidermis. In purple or copper beeches, leaf chlorophylls are masked by varying proportions of anthocyanin pigments resulting in varying shades of purple, purplish-black or almost dark red. The pigment of the copper beech was identified in 1932, as cyanidin 3-galactoside, which is also known as Ideain.

(Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’)

History

European Beech has made several accidental sports which have been propagated by grafting and are now very generally distributed. One of the oldest of these is the purple beech, the original tree of which was discovered in Germany in the last century. The young leaves are cherry red, but as they grow older they become darker, and eventually are of so deep a purple as to give the tree, among the French, the name of 'black beech'. The purple beech in spring is a very attractive object, the young leaves when agitated by the wind, during bright sunshine, make such a brilliant show. The seeds of the purple beech have produced many coloured varieties, the best known is the Copper beech, which has lighter coloured foliage than its parent. Both are desirable as ornamental trees.

Fagus sylvatica has a number of common cultivars, which have to be grafted. which are of German origin,

In Wagner's 'Historia naturalis Helvetia curiosa' (Zurich, 1680) mention is made of a beech wood at Buch, on the Irchel mountain in Zurichgau (commonly known as the Stammberg). It contains 3 beech trees with red leaves, which are not found anywhere else. These beeches are referred also in Scheuzer's 'Natural History of Switzerland' published in 1706. They are associated to a popular folktale, in which five brothers murdered one another on the spot where the trees now grow. Offspring from these trees still retain the purple colour when planted in gardens. A purple beech tree has also been observed in the wild within the forest of Darney in the Vosges, France.

Weeping purple beeches are now not uncommon in English parks and gardens. Varieties such as the copper beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’) and cut-leaved beech (‘Heterophylla’) are frequently planted in the UK.

Purple European Beech grows into a wide oval, 70 to 80 feet tall and spreads 50 to 70 feet Leaves emerge deep purple and fade somewhat to a purple-green during the summer. Branches normally sweep the ground in a graceful fashion. The tree grows slowly, recovers slowly from transplanting and prefers a sunny location and a moist, light soil.

Origin, history, and uses: In southern England the beech is a dominant tree. It has historically been favored through the clearance of competing oak trees and through active planting for the furniture industry. Beech has in general been used for centuries in making furniture, especially chairs since it bends well without breaking, has a fine grain and has relatively few knots. It is rarely used in building since it decays rapidly without protection and is not very strong. The copper beech seems to have arrived in Britain as late as 4,000 BCE, possibly being introduced by humans traversing the land bridge between England and continental Europe. In Sweden, the establishment of the beech came even more recently, about 900 years ago, as pastures were expanded and cultivation of fields increased; regeneration of beech is favored by ground disturbance. There, the beech was cultivated in the Middle Ages as its nuts were valued highly as a source of pig feed. Beech masts, the nuts discussed above, are used heavily by badgers, squirrels, and birdlife.

In 1807, Thomas Jefferson ordered "Purple Beeches" from Thomas Main's nursery in March and then again in November, after the first planting of trees failed. Jefferson directed his overseer, Edmund Bacon, to have Wormley Hughes plant them in the southwest and northwest angles of the house at Monticello. One of these trees survived until the 1950s, while the other lived until the 1970s.

American notes- Purple-leaf Beech, Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropunicea’, While there are several different varieties with purple color leaves, noted plant writer, and explorer, Ernest Henry Wilson (1876-1930), gave this form his highest praise, “…in my opinion the only tree with colored leaves worth planting.” We currently have over a dozen Purple-leaf Beech specimens growing throughout our landscape.

Copper Beech, Fagus sylvatica ’Cuprea’, Those with slightly lighter, purple-color leaves are generally called copper beech, and we display 6 of these here. These first came to public notice in Switzerland in the 1680’s. Our grandest specimen found on Gentian Path, might be visited vicariously, while reading the poem by Marie Howe, titled 'the Copper Beech'.

Copper beeches first appeared as mutants independently in different parts of Europe and were already known in Germany before 1488.

Fagus sylvatica f. 'purpurea' both Rochester and Syracuse, New York have numerous purple beeches dating from 1880 or 1890. reports date to early as 1680 near the Canton in Zurich where 6 trees were found, then only 3 were found later, Bean (The Garden, 1899) says most stock in Europe came from a tree in Hanleiter Forest in Thuringia (state). Loudan confirms that all European trees trace to a single tree in a German forest c 1750 called the Sonderhausen tree. It came to the UK in 1760. It was known for certain in the US in 1820 as AJ Downing's notes mentions 'the finest copper beech in America' as 5oft tall in 1859 at the Estate of Thomas Ash Throggs Neck, NY. It was assumed to be about 60 years old then.

The old name of Atropunicea is invaild since it is based on Weston's name of 1710 and allied to Fagus grandifolia in error. The RHS also think the name 'Atropurpurea Group' is unneeded as it is not a cultigenic taxon.

In his authoritative Cultivars of Woody Plants Larry Hatch suggests there are already over 147 named clones of Fagus sylvatica. Some of these may be synonymous, of course, and other names will be duplicates or otherwise invalid. Historically, different authors have described infraspecific taxa to cover naturally occurring variants that have since become popular in horticulture. For example, in 1855, Loudon described f. purpurea for the purple and purple-variegated forms. Vernacular names are another source of confusion, especially around Purple Beech and Copper Beech for variants with pigmented foliage. According to Bean these all fall under f. purpurea (still used by the "Tree Register of Britain and Ireland", for example (Tree Register 2019) or the inappropriately-named Atropurpurea Group adopted by the Royal Horticultural Society. Both options cover all pigmented, entire-leaved Beech, although leaf coloration in this group varies from a sort of muddy-brown-red through to the deep and vibrant purples of such clones as ‘Riversii’. Bean maintained the distinction and included the name ‘Cuprea’ for the Copper Beech ‘with leaves paler than in the true purple beech’ under his discussion of f. purpurea (Bean 1981) and distinctly bronze or copper seedlings frequently occur where green and purple parents grow together, although it is not uncommon to find self-sown plants of good, vibrant purples, too. Nowadays the horticultural trade (at least in the UK) seems rarely to uphold the distinction and the vernacular names Purple and Copper Beech seem to be interchangeably applied to material sold under the names ‘Atropurpurea’, Atropurpurea Group, Purpurea Group, f. purpurea, var. purpurea, f. atropurpurea, etc. The name ‘Cuprea’ is rarely encountered. There is a case for placing all such names into synonymy within an overarching Purpurea Group, but this obscures history and could make it difficult to obtain the best clones, hence names such as such as ‘Riversii’, ‘Spaethiana’, ‘Tur’ etc. continue to be listed here. Where other authorities, such as Hatch or Krüssmann, have suggested synonymy we have followed, hence ‘Purpurea Major’ appears as a synonym of ‘Riversii’, as does ‘Norwegiensis’. The treatment of these and many other names is likely to be intermittently refined over the years, but if there is a long history, or tradition, of referring to a purple beech as a named cultivar it is appropriate to retain that name, as each selection has its own history, and some of these old cultivars are at risk of disappearing completely if all are subsumed into the Purpurea Group.

Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’ (Copper Beech)- The copper beech tree first occurred as a natural malformation, with 1 in every 1000 seeding common beech trees producing a tree with a purple leaf.

Copper beech, also known as purple beech, is a cultivated form of common beech (although copper-coloured beech trees are also sometimes found in nature).

Habitat

The copper beech is native to Europe, rather than North America. There, its natural range extends from southern Sweden to Sicily and from northwest Turkey to the north of Portugal and southern England. In the southern part of its range in the Mediterranean, it grows only in mountain forests above 2,000 ft altitude. As an introduced species in the United States it can be grown extensively, through zones 4 through 7 or the US Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones. It reportedly tolerates a wider range of soils than the American Beech.

Geography and distribution Fagus sylvatica is found throughout Europe, to the Caucasus.

This makes the Copper beech very similar to common beech in a number of ways, such as its leaf shape, habit and uses. The main difference between the two trees is the striking purple foliage of the copper beech, yet in the autumn the leaves turn the same crisp copper colour as common beech. Largely used as an ornamental tree, copper beech can bring colour and style to a large garden or parkland setting. Also makes a great hedging plant, either individually or mixed with green beech.

Fruit: The flowers are surrounded by a cup, which takes on a woody texture when pollinated. The cup encloses either one or two seeds, also known as beech mast.

Timber: Like common beech the strong wood is used in furniture making, but also burns well making good firewood.

Soil Types/Habitat: Not suitable to be planted in heavy or wet soils, and it is advisable to plant away from frost pockets as it is likely to get damaged. Will grow well in light, fertile soils.

Taxonomy

Other common names; copper beech purple beech

Synonyms Fagus sylvatica Purple-leaved Group Fagus sylvatica Purpurea Group Details Atropurpurea Group are large deciduous trees grown for their deep purple leaves, which become reddish in autumn

Previous Fagus s article notes The copper beech or purple beech is a form of the common beech from the beech genus (Fagus) and belongs to the beech family (Fagaceae). Other forms of beech with particular growth, such as hanging beech or Süntel beech , were crossed with copper beech. For example, there are:

• weeping beech (Fagus sylvatica cv. 'Pendula Purpurea')
• dwarf beech (Fagus sylvatica cv. 'Tortuosa Purpurea')

Scientific Name: Fagus sylvatica 'Atropunicea'

Common Name: European Copper Beech

Fagus sylvatica 'altropunicea'

Purple beech, originated several places in Europe. It has been known since 1680

It has been offered under the names of; 'Atropurpurea', 'Cuprea', 'Nigra' , 'Purpurea', Riversii, Sanguinea and Spaethiana.

"Cuprea" came from George Loddegis in UK in 1836, gave rise to the name 'Copper Beech'. "Riversii" came from English nursery of Thomas Rivers about 1869. "Spaethiana" came from Spaeth Nurseries in Germany in 1980's,

In Australia, it is known as either 'Copper beech' or 'Purple beech'.

Fagus sylvatica 'Atropurpurea'

The European Copper Beech

The European beech, Fagus sylvatica, Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea is a beautiful variant commonly known as copper beech, with deep purple-bronze foliage, making it a more dramatic alternative to the species.

Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea' or Fagus sylvatica f. 'purpurea') A very popular variety of European birch is the copper birch, usually described as Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea', although some experts regard it as a naturally occurring genetic form rather than a cultivar.

European Beech has given rise to many other cultivars: ‘Albo-variegata’ - leaves margined white; ‘Asplenifolia’ - cut leaves; ‘Atropunica’ - leaves purple; ‘Cochleata’ - smaller, spoon-shaped leaves; ‘Cuprea’ - leaves copper colored; ‘Dawycki’ - upright growth habit; ‘Fastigiata’ - upright growth habit; ‘Laciniata’ - leaves cut, wider more regularly-shaped than ‘Asplenifolia’; ‘Macrophylla’ - larger leaves; ‘Miltonensis’ - leader erect, main branches horizontal, side branches pendulous; ‘Pendula’ - weeping habit; ‘Purpurea Pendula’ - weeping with purple leaves; ‘Quercifolia’ - slow growing, leaves oak-like; ‘Riversii’ - young foliage reddish then purple; ‘Rohanii’ - similar to ‘Laciniata’; ‘Roseo-marginata’ - purple leaves with light pink border, grow in shade to prevent leaf burn, not easily grown; ‘Rotundifolia’ - leaves round; ‘Spaethiana’ - leaves purple; ‘Tortuosa’ - low, spreading, umbrella-like; ‘Tricolor’ - leaves green and white with pink margins; ‘Zlatia’ - leaves golden in spring.

Copper beech trees (Fagus sylvatica), also commonly known as European beech trees, Beech trees grow in a wide variety of cultivars, which offer an array of foliage colours. Those referred to as copper beech trees typically include 'Riversii,' 'Rohanii' and 'Spaethiana,' also known as 'Spathiana,' according to the University of Connecticut Plant Database.

This variety has coppery or purple-coloured leaves that turn shades of red in the fall. A related cultivar — F. sylvatica f. 'purpurea' 'Pendula' — is a weeping variety. There are also cultivars with leaves that are more purple, including 'Riversii' and 'Spaethiana'.

This is normally a low branched tree (unless trained otherwise in youth) with the purple leaved selection ‘Riversii’ featuring large glossy leaves up to 5 inches long. Foliage of this selection emerges deep purple in spring, fading to purple green in summer, and finally turns a fiery copper in Autumn.

The Copper Beech ‘Riversii’ slowly grows with a muscular, grey trunk with thin but smooth bark. It remains smooth into maturity. The mature trunk looks like a massive dinosaur or elephant leg that holds many spreading branches. The European Copper Beech ‘Riversii’ makes an impressive shade or street tree.

a cultivar of European beech (Fagus sylvatica Atropunicea) - the name is still used now.

Copper beech trees are quite variable in leaf colour as they are normally propagated by seed. Particularly dark clones have been selected over the years and those are grafted to maintain the true colour. The best-known are 'Cuprea', 'Nigra', 'Riversii' and 'Spaethiana'.

Cultivation

The flower of Fagus sylvatica purpurea

A Copper Beech tree on a road bend

This tree is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 7, and perhaps into zone 4 if sheltered from cold drying winter winds. It does well in most soil types as long as they are not water logged or poorly drained, and is happy in full sun or part shade. While it has no serious disease or insect problems, beech scale and Japanese beetles may be occasional pathogens to watch for. Beech trees also tolerate branch tip shearing well, allowing them to be clipped into formal box like forms if desired.

The tree can be pruned or even clipped with shears. So is tolerant of being pruned into shapes similar to topiary shapes, such as pyramid forms.

Though not a street tree, the tree makes one of the finest specimens of all those available in North America for large scale landscapes. Definitely not for residential landscapes. Purple European Beech is somewhat tolerant of heat and dry soil, but it is best to locate it where it would receive adequate moisture. Common name(s): Purple European Beech Family: Fagaceae USDA hardiness zones: 4 through 7 Origin: not native to North America Uses: hedge; shade tree; specimen; no proven urban tolerance Availability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the tree

Pruning requirement: needs little pruning to develop a strong structure Breakage: resistant Current year twig color: brown; gray Current year twig thickness: thin Culture Light requirement: tree grows in full sun Soil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; slightly alkaline; acidic; well-drained Drought tolerance: moderate Aerosol salt tolerance: low Soil salt tolerance: poor USE AND MANAGEMENT

Pests Usually none are serious. Aphid colonies on the lower branches can be dislodged with a strong stream of water from the garden hose. Colonies are often disposed of by predatory insects. Borers such as flat-headed appletree borer or two-lined chestnut borer bore into trees weakened by some stress. Prevent the insect infestations by keeping trees healthy with regular fertilization and irrigation in dry weather. Regular inspections of the trunk and branches are suggested for early detection of scales. Horticultural oil sprays will help control scales. Certain caterpillars can be controlled with sprays of Bacillus thuringiensis. Other Roots: surface roots can lift sidewalks or interfere with mowing Winter interest: tree has winter interest due to unusual form, nice persistent fruits, showy winter trunk, or winter flowers Outstanding tree: tree has outstanding ornamental features and could be planted more Invasive potential: little, if any, potential at this time Several fungi cause leaf spots but are generally not serious to warrant chemical control. Powdery mildew causes a white coating on the leaves. The disease is most common late in the season. Bleeding canker forms cankers from which a brownish liquid oozes. Crown symptoms include leaves of smaller size and lighter green color than normal. In severe cases the leaves wilt and the branches die. Avoid feeding with high nitrogen fertilizers as it seems to worsen the condition of infected trees. Beech bark disease occurs when the feeding site of woolly Beech scale is invaded by a fungus. The fungus kills the bark and in the process, the insects. There are no satisfactory controls for the fungus. Control the disease by controlling the scale with a horticultural oil. Cankers infect, girdle, and occasionally kill branches. Prune out the infected branches. During periods of high temperatures and low rainfall Beech leaves may scorch. Make sure trees are adequately watered.

a copper beech tree colonised by giant polypore fungus Meripilus giganteus can kill the trees roots and make it unstable.

Often used in hedges, due to the colour.

Within the garden it can be used as single feature tree.

Or used in bonsai.

Treatments using formulations made of neem oil are as a biopesticide, for beech trees, as it repels a wide variety of pests.

Such displays are difficult to improve on but arguably the copper beech (Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea) does just that. A cultivar of common beech, derived from natural mutations, the copper beech possesses all the best attributes of its close relative but the foliage is much more eye-catching. The leaves are coppery to deep purple in colour, which accounts for its popularity not only as a hedge but as a standalone ornamental tree.

Both conventional and copper versions will be appearing in nurseries around now, being sold bare root, making them a much more economical option. The key to creating a thick, solid beech hedge is judicious and regular pruning to ensure the barrier retains its shape.

Wooden bowl made from a 150 year old Copper Beech tree that had toppled in the yard of the [[New Dublin Presbyterian Church[[, by turning wood on a lathe.

Features of Copper Beeches infuse the home landscape with larger-than-life visual impact. Particularly well suited to large landscapes, these deciduous trees grow slowly but develop into sturdy, low-maintenance shade trees. Whether you grow several wind-tolerant copper beeches as a hedge or add them to your landscape individually, they offer residential areas showy foliage and a track record for good health.

Copper Beech Care Provide optimal care to avoid the development of the few diseases and pest infestations that affect copper beeches. Strong, healthy trees have an increased capacity to avoid health issues when compared to unhealthy trees. Grow copper beech trees in areas of the home garden that offer full sun when possible, though beeches grow successfully in partial shade. Maintain loose, moist, well-drained soil; the copper beech has a moderate tolerance to dry conditions. For best growth, plant copper beech trees in U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 4a to 7b.

Monitor for Pests While beech trees are known for their lack of serious pest and disease problems, these trees are not immune. Aphids commonly attack beech trees. These sucking pests feed on plant tissue fluid. As they feed, they excrete a sugary, sticky substance called honeydew, which drops onto leaves and branches below. Honeydew encourages the development of a black-hued fungal disease called sooty mold. Aphids rarely cause extreme damage to beech trees but may result in yellowed, distorted leaves. Excessive sooty mold blocks out essential sunlight.

Copper Beech Diseases Due to poorly drained soil conditions, copper beech trees occasionally fall victim to fungal diseases such as leaf spots, cankers and powdery mildew. Powdery mildew results in the presence of a white, powdery growth on leaf surfaces. As the disease progresses, the fungus spreads. Leaf spots rarely cause damage. However, when left untreated, canker disease may kill branches, while powdery mildew often leads to leaf distortion and drop. Pest and Disease Solutions For both pest and disease problems, prune out and destroy affected plant parts to lessen the severity of the problem. Always sterilize your pruners and cutting tools by dipping the blades into a household cleaner like Pine-Sol and allowing them to air dry. Control pest problems by spraying affected leaves with a stream of water to physically push aphids from the tree. Release natural enemies such as lady beetles or parasitic wasps onto the tree. Available at garden supply stores, these enemies are bugs that kill pests without damaging desired plants. For severe infestations, saturate the tree with horticultural oil. For leaf spots and cankers, improve soil drainage and circulation. Avoid overhead irrigation, as standing water promotes development of disease. Rely on pruning out infected areas, as these problems are without chemical control. For powdery mildew control, prune to increase air circulation through the branches. If cultural methods prove ineffective, apply a fungicide such as horticultural oil or jojoba oil to the tree.

It is commonly grafted.

Elsewhere, (European) Beech is cultivated as an ornamental in almost every appropriate climatic zone, for example in temperate South America, in New Zealand and in appropriate zones within South Africa and Australia. In South Africa, mature Purple Beech growing in Arderne Gardens, Cape Town, were in 2016–2017 succumbing to the intense and prolonged drought affecting that region (ardernegardens.org.za) and indeed intense summer droughts have been known to kill older, already stressed trees even within its native range, as widely observed in southern England after the 1976 drought and in subsequent dry seasons. With hotter, drier summers becoming more frequent in the 21st century it may be that flourishing Beech becomes confined to moister areas; Fagus orientalis may be a substitute for planting in droughtier places.

River's Purple European Beech Fagus sylvatica 'Riversii' The deepest purple foliage of any purple-leafed beech with richly coloured foliage that retains its dark purple colour throughout the summer months. A special selection from England. A magnificent specimen tree for larger landscapes. Not recommended for hot, dry areas. Deciduous. USDA Zone 4-7, Your climate might be too cold for this plant: Light Needs - Full sun Water Needs - Water regularly - weekly, or more often in extreme heat.

Beech trees tend to be found growing on well-drained soils, particularly chalk and limestone soils. For best results, grow Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea in full sun or partial shade, in a well-drained soil.

How to grow Fagus sylvatica Plant size - 40m height * 8m spread Aspect East facing, south facing, west facing Sun exposure: Full sun, dappled shade, partial shade Hardiness: Hardy Soil type: Well drained / light / sandy / clay / heavy / moist / chalky / alkaline / acidic

These are slow-growing trees that are sometimes kept closely pruned to serve as wind-blocking hedge plants; they are especially tolerant of windy conditions. Native Area: Central Europe USDA Growing Zones: 4 to 7 Height: 50 to 60 feet; occasionally to 100 feet Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade

Cultivation The beech is easily cultivated, though slow-growing at first. It needs a lot of room as it can get very large. The tree is shallow-rooted so it is best to choose a sheltered spot to avoid it being blown over. The bark is very sensitive to sunlight and old trunks that suddenly become exposed to the sun (for example by the felling of surrounding trees or raising of the canopy) will get sunburn, which may cause the tree to die.

Today this tree is planted extensively in parks and gardens, and whilst admired by some, others find the copper beech's dark purple leaves an unattractive and depressing addition to the landscape.

The copper beech is a large tree that often grows on chalky soil.

At Kew, beeches are propagated by grafting in order to retain genetic material from important old trees in the gardens, or to grow cultivars such as copper beeches. Root stocks for grafting are grown in the Arboretum Nursery by sowing seed. The seed is not viable for long and so needs to be sown as soon as it is ripe. If sown in the autumn it will germinate the following spring. The seed is either sown directly into the nursery field (with wire mesh protection from mice and squirrels) or into 12-litre pots, kept frost-free under glass, with plenty of natural light. Tony Hall, who manages this collection, says that when the seedlings emerge they look like miniature forests, but that this is the ideal way to create root stock material. Grafting is done in January with the unions warmed by a hot pipe system. The pipe temperature is kept at around 21˚C whilst the rootstock below is kept cooler at around 5 to 10˚C. The buds are sprayed once a day to keep them moist. Using this method it takes about two to three weeks for the union to form a callus. After this the new plants are grown on in their pots for a season, and then transplanted into the nursery field for growing on.

Although rarely used, cuttings from newly emerged shoots can be easily rooted under mist.

Mature trees generally do well in the Gardens as they like Kew's sandy soil. However, beeches benefit from summer rainfall and like moisture and high humidity, so in recent years they have been showing signs of stress.

location: Sun to shade soil: sandy - loamy to loamy ph value: slightly acidic to alkaline usage: parks, large gardens

Where to find copper beech It is planted in urban and rural areas across the UK as an ornamental tree for its distinctive purple leaves. It has several habitat requirements, including a humid atmosphere and well-drained soil. It prefers fertile, calcified or lightly acidic ground and is often found on the side of hills.

Copper beech is a popular horticultural plant, especially when planted as large specimen trees, but it is not loved by all. The 20th century gardener Russell Page said in his book The Education of a Gardener “Nothing destroys the harmony of a garden more than the dark blotch of a copper beech”.

It makes a good hedging plant, especially since it can be cut back hard. If clipped it doesn't shed its leaves, and provides a year-round, dense screen which is a great habitat for garden birds.

Threats and conservation Beech trees are sometimes susceptible to root rot from a variety of fungal pathogens, including Phytophthora. Some trees can suffer from beech bark disease, caused by a combination of a sap-sucking scale insect (Cryptococcus fagisuga) and canker fungus (Nectria coccinea). Severe infestations can kill affected trees. It is also very vulnerable to bark stripping by grey squirrels.

Uses

Beech, like hazel, has been used for centuries for its wood, specifically in making furniture. The Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire are home to large areas of beech woodlands and in the past, chairmakers, also known as 'bodgers', actually worked in the woods themselves. In 1887 a group of sport-minded furniture makers from High Wycombe, then the centre of the industry, founded Wycombe Wanderers Football Club. To this day, the team's nickname is 'The Chairboys'.

Beech timber is ideal for chairs as it bends without breaking, has a fine grain and is relatively free of knots. Beech has a history of being pollarded. Pollarding is the practice of removing all the branches to stimulate the growth of new, smaller shoots. At Burnham Beeches, for example, beeches were historically pollarded as a source of fuelwood, amongst other uses.

Beech tends not to be used for building as it decays quickly without protection and is not strong enough to bear any great weight.

Masts were once used to fatten pigs, cattle and poultry.

Uses of copper beech Like common beech, copper beech timber can be used for a variety of purposes, including fuel, furniture, cooking utensils, tool handles and sports equipment. The wood burns well and was traditionally used to smoke herring. The edible nuts, or masts, were once used to feed pigs, and in France they are still sometimes roasted and used as a coffee substitute.

Conservation

IUCN status of Least Concern (LC).

Culture

Since they have been cultivated for so long and are frequently planted as an ornamental tree, beeches have been depicted in numerous artistic works. Here are a few snippets of poetry by some of our most famous poets titled after this majestic plant.

Immense, entirely itself,
it wore that yard like a dress,
with limbs low enough for me to enter it
and climb the crooked ladder to where

— Marie Howe, "The Copper Beech"

It is half past ten in Stonington.
The trees droop apprehensive of the heat
And the sky has turned that pale suspicious colour
That means that it cannot support more light.
Here on the terrace I and a companion
Each pretends to read. The papers say
That it is 90 in New York today.

— Daryl Hine, Canadian poet, "The Copper Beech"

Why is the earth angry at heaven?
If there’s a question, is there an answer?
 On Dana Street, a copper beech.
Immense, like the tree of my childhood,
but with a violence I wasn’t ready to see then.

— Louise Glück, "Copper Beech"

Some examples

Tree, Woodhey Court, Alma Road, Sale, UK

Some examples of specimen trees include;

• Miss Sulivan's garden, Broom House, Fulham which was 82 feet high and 12 feet 2 inches wide (in 1906).

• Hardwick, Bury St. Edmunds, (measured in 1904), it was 80-90 feet high, 11 feet 9 inches wide, it produces an abundance of fruit from which many young trees have beer raised.

• The ‘Ding dong’ tree, about 30 years old, in Prestonpans Primary School, Prestonpans, Scotland, UK. In 2016, it was named 'Scottish Tree of the Year'. Then it was nominated for the 'European Tree of the Year 2017'.

• A large, impressive specimen of Copper beech grows next to the chapel in St. James' Cemetery & Crematorium in Toronto, was planted by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) on his visit to Canada in 1919.

• 'The Copper Beech Tree', planted in Drummond Hill Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario in 1914 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Lundy's Lane, consists of one mature beech tree which serves as a reminder of the city's abundant history with the War of 1812. It has striking bark of elephant hide-like appearance and leaves that change seasonally from light green to russet and bronze, the tree is a prominent landmark on Drummond Hill, highlighting its historic importance. The tree was designated for its heritage value by the City of Niagara Falls in 2003.

• Regent's Park in London, has a 50 year old specimen, with a twisted stem.

• An approximately 15-metre high tree is located at 740 Park Place in Duncan, British Columbia. It was brought from England as a sapling and planted in its current location more than 100 years ago, around the time the house was constructed in 1905. In 2017, it got “significant tree” status, a Duncan protection bylaw defines a significant tree as “a tree of significant size, species or heritage”.

A 100 years old Copper beech in Keymer, West Sussex, UK that had reached 75-80 foot, was condemned after getting a bacterial infection. The owner saved a 15-20 foot section of the stump, which was carved by a chainsaw artist into a Green man with an owl on his head.

Other sources

• Björkman, L. (1997). The role of human disturbance in the local Late Holocene establishment of Fagus and Picea forests at Flahult, western Småland, southern Sweden. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, 6(2), 79-90.
• Watt, A. S. (1923). On the ecology of British beechwoods with special reference to their regeneration. Journal of Ecology, 11(1), 1-48.
• Watt, A. S. (1925). On the ecology of British beechwoods with special reference to their regeneration: part II, sections II and III. The development and structure of beech communities on the Sussex Downs. Journal of Ecology, 13(1), 27-73.