PSC 2620: Woody Trees and ShrubCourse HomeWeek 7

Fagus sylvatica - European Beech

Plant Viewer
The leaf of Fagus sylvatica is 3-4 inches long and ovate in shape. The margin is usually entire. The bark is a gray in color and smooth. Wrinkles will form in the bark around branch junctions.
The fruit is a rounded cube form with small spines. The fruit opens into a pointed cross shape.

Plant Description

Fagus sylvatica, or European Beech, is a truly awe-inspiring tree. There are very few trees that would cause me to buy a house simply because it had a mature specimen, but this is one. Dirr rightfully describes it by saying: "There is no finer specimen tree; so beautiful that it overwhelms one at first glance." A truly noble tree. It grows 50-60 feet tall and 40-50 feet wide, with a strong and a broad pyramidal form. It branches low to the ground, and a mature specimen is the perfect climbing tree. The bark is a smooth light gray colored. Where the branches join the trunk the bark will exhibit a wrinkled appearance.

The leaves are 3-4 inches long and ovate or elliptic in shape and arranged alternately on the stem. The leaf margin is commonly entire but may also be undulate or finely serrated. The pinnate venation pattern is very visible on the leaf and is often indented in the leaf's surface. The color is a very dark and glossy green on the top of the leaf, and a lighter green color beneath. When the leaves are emerging in the spring the margins are pubescent. In the fall the leaves turn a bronze color that is uncommon in the landscape and quite attractive.

Green fruit forms by late summer. Triangular nuts are encased inside a spiny involucre (or husk). When the involucre bursts open it creates a form that one might mistake for some sort of thick flower. The petiole of the fruit has a leathery pubescent texture.

Landscape Use

Best used as a shade tree or as a specimen tree. It is not suited for use as a street tree or in other difficult situations.

Points of interest

This tree is wonderful, unfortunately it is underused in Utah, and having tried to sell it to many people I suspect its slow-growth rate is to blame.

Notable Cultivars

Dawyck A columnar form that reaches 80 feet tall and only 20 feet wide The leaf is dark green.


Dawyck Purple A purple-leaved form of Dawyck.


Tricolor One of the most unusual trees. I have more requests for this tree than any other - but its limited supply and slow growth rate make even the smallest specimens expensive. The leaf is a dark purple-green while the margin has interweaving shades of light and bright pink.


Asplenifolia A delicate and lacy tree with a very fine texture. The leaves are long and deeply cut, creating a fern-like texture.


Pendula A truly stunning tree with a beautiful weeping form and deep green leaves. It can reach 60 feet high with an equal spread.


Purpurea Pendula A small, weeping form with purple leaves. Reaches ten feet tall.


Rhoan The most vigorous and hardiest Beech cultivar. The leaves are a purplish-copper color and have an undulating margin. It has a good rounded form and can reach up to 40 feet tall.