Fagus sylvatica Atropurpurea - Beech

The Fagus sylvatica Atropurpurea, commonly known as the Purple Beech, is a beautiful tree often used for hedges, as it tolerates pruning very well. It is also highly appreciated for its dense marcescent foliage, with a beautiful reddish-purple colour, which remains on the branches until the following spring, when new leaves appear. Depending on your budget, the length of your hedge, your patience, and the time you can dedicate to gardening, different types of products are available to you.

- For an economical purple beech hedge, opt for 9cm pots that can be planted all year round, or choose bare-root plants for autumn or winter planting. Soil preparation should be meticulous (careful weeding, removal of all roots, planting trench), and it is preferable to place a weed suppressant sheet at the base of the shrubs to limit weed germination until they settle. Once established, they grow rapidly and will quickly catch up with their cultivated counterparts in bigger pots. This is the most economical solution when it comes to creating a hedge of at least 10m (32ft) in length.

- For a fast-growing purple beech hedge or to fill in an existing hedge, your choice should be 2-litre or even 5-litre potted bushes. Potted bushes can be planted all year round, except during freezing or extremely hot periods. They are planted in individual planting holes, like all other garden shrubs. While they have an immediate effect, they take a little longer to establish and will require more frequent and regular watering, especially when the summer is dry.

Respect the proper planting distance according to the size of your plant! It is advisable to leave a space of 60cm (23.6in) between each plant for shrubs in pots and bare roots, 70 to 80 cm (31.5in) for plants in 2 or 3-litre pots, and 80cm (31.5in) to 1m (3ft 4in) for pots from 4 to 10 litres.

The Fagus sylvatica Atropurpurea is an imposing tree with a semi-spreading habit. Its cylindrical trunk can measure up to 3m (9ft 10in) in diameter and is covered with a smooth bark of light grey colour. This tree can live for several centuries. Originally from central Europe to the Caucasus, it is one of the most common species in European forests. The Fagus sylvatica Atropurpurea is a very popular tree, along with the oak. Of imposing size, it can reach up to 25m (82ft) in height at maturity.

Its marcescent foliage is very dense. It consists of alternate and elliptical leaves measuring 4 to 10cm (3.9in) in length. The leaf margins are undulate and villous. They have 5 to 9 pairs of lateral veins. When the tree is young, the leaves are pale green. They turn a coppery-violet colour. They are marcescent, meaning they dry up while remaining on the tree until the next spring when new leaves appear.

The flowers appear almost at the same time as the leaves. From April to May, monoecious flowers appear. The male flowers are yellow and are grouped in pendulous catkins measuring 40 to 60mm (2.4in). The female flowers are green and are grouped in pairs or groups of 4 at the ends of the branches. The Fagus sylvatica atropurpurea produces fruits called beech nuts, which are shiny brown and covered in prickles. These fruits, 12 to 18mm (0.7in) long, are edible in small quantities. In the past, mountain dwellers used them to make flour. It is used as a hedge because it tolerates pruning very well. Its reddish wood is used in cabinetmaking and for the production of wooden tools, toys, and firewood.