Fagus sylvatica Purple Drongo Weeper

The Fagus sylvatica 'Purple Drongo Weeper' is a variety of Purple Beech tree, which is picturesque and rare in cultivation. It is a small tree with slow growth, characterised by a distinctly weeping habit and beautiful wavy foliage that is glossy and highly colourful from spring to autumn. Its dry foliage remains on the branches until new leaves appear in spring. This variety is particularly interesting for small gardens where it can be prominently placed.

The beech tree, known as Fagus sylvatica in Latin, is an imposing tree with a spreading habit. Its cylindrical trunk is covered with smooth, light grey bark. This tree can live for several centuries. Native to central Europe and the Caucasus, it is one of the most common species in European forests. Its reddish wood is used in cabinetmaking and for the production of wooden tools and toys, as well as firewood. It is very hardy and can reach a height of 20m at maturity.
The cultivar 'Purple Drongo Weeper' is grafted on a stem. The tree has a narrow and dense weeping habit. Over time, its branches will hide the trunk behind a curtain of foliage. Its dimensions remain modest, with a height of 3 to 4m and a spread of 2m after 10 years of cultivation. Its foliage is composed of alternate leaves with strongly wavy edges, resembling oak leaves. They appear in spring, coloured in bright red, bronze, and green. They turn dark purple to violet in summer, and then coppery in autumn. They are classified as marcescent, meaning they dry up while remaining on the tree until the arrival of new leaves in spring. A few flowers appear almost at the same time as the leaves. From April to May, barely visible monoecious, cream flowers appear. The male flowers are grouped in pendulous carkins. The female flowers are clustered in groups of 2 to 4 at the ends of the branches. Mature trees produce fruits called beech nuts, which are brown, shiny, and covered with bristly prickles. These fruits are edible in small quantities and were used by mountain dwellers in the past to make flour.

Fagus sylvatica 'Purple Drongo Weeper' is a very hardy small tree. It prefers cool and temperate climates and does not tolerate drought. It can be planted as a solitary specimen for its elegant and romantic presence. A variegated periwinkle or golden Japanese forest grass can be planted at its base, for example. It can also be incorporated into a mass planting of ground-covering shrubs with lighter foliage, which it will overlook without suffocating them, such as border roses or prostrate rockery conifers... Its base can also accommodate Bergenia plants. Thanks to its modest size, it is suitable for small gardens.