Fagus sylvatica — Common Beech

An abundant native tree, particularly widely planted on chalk.

The alternate leaves are often wrinkled and are characteristically hair-fringed. The bark is usually (but not always) very smooth. The buds are long and pointed and angled away from the twig, giving a distinctive appearance when leafless. The flowers are inconspicuous and give rise to nuts in prickly husks (beech-mast).

f. purpurea is very widely planted (it also occurs naturally), and includes a number of particularly bright clones. It occurs in a number of different shades, but deep purple trees are most common.

‘Dawyck’ (Dawyck Beech) is a fastigiate form discovered in the mid-19th century which is common as a street tree; there are also ‘Dawyck Purple’ and ‘Dawyck Gold’ colour variants.

f. pendula (Weeping Beech) is somewhat less common and can grow very tall for a weeping tree.

‘Aspleniifolia’ (Fern-leaved Beech) is fairly frequent and has variable but strongly-lobed leaves giving very feathery foliage.

Variegated forms exist, but tend to be rare.

 
 

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Copyright © 2007 Philip Brassett