COPPER /PURPLE BEECH - Fagus Sylvatica Atropurpurea

5 Plants 6ft Tall 

8 years old

Often used as a beautiful purple hedge on it's own or mixed in with the Green Beech.

Growing Details

Common Name: Copper beech or Purple Beech
Genus: Fagus
Species: sylvatica
Cultivar: Atropurpurea Group
Skill Level: Beginner
Hardiness: Hardy
Soil type: Well-drained/light, Clay/heavy, Acidic, Chalky/alkaline
Height: 25 - 30m
Spread: 15m
Spacing: 3 Plants Per Metre in Single Row, 5 Plants Per Metre in Double Row

Description

Beech hedges make effective windbreaks and sort of span the evergreen / deciduous boundary as whereas they are deciduous, they retain the dead leaves on the branches through the winter until they are pushed off by new shoots in the spring time. They are not completely bare and twiggy therefore when grown as a hedge.Plant 15-45cm(6-18 inches) apart depending on how thick you want your hedge to be.Leaves are purple Spring and Summer then in the Autumn they turn copper brown .These leaves are retained by the plant until Spring when the new leaves grow resulting in a hedge that is never bare.The hedge can be trimmed into any shape or size and will tolerate most conditions including shade and exposed areas.

Beech can be planted as a single specimen tree which will grow to a maximum height of 30 metres but it will shed it's leaves in Autumn.