Fagus sylvatica Rotundifolia

Fagus sylvatica 'Rotundifolia' or Common Beech with round leaves is a rare variety in cultivation that is distinguished by its round foliage. It forms a medium-sized tree with relatively slow growth. Initially slender and pyramidal, its habit becomes rounded and spreading, with a closed and dense crown. Its leaves are much smaller than those of the species, almost round and do not exceed 4 cm in diameter. They are dark green and turn a beautiful coppery yellow in autumn. The tree prefers temperate, humid climates and deep, moist, well-drained soils that are slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. 

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 to 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 for firewood. It is very hardy and can reach a height of 20 m at maturity.

The 'Rotundifolia' cultivar gradually forms a tree with a straight trunk supporting a beautiful rounded and dense crown. At maturity, it will reach approximately 12 to 15 m in height and 6 to 7 m in spread. Its foliage consists of small, almost round leaves measuring 1.5 to 4 cm in diameter. They appear in spring. Initially light green, they become dark green in summer and golden yellow in autumn. They are slightly marcescent, meaning they dry out while remaining on the tree late in the season. The tiny, cream flowers appear almost at the same time as the leaves, from April to May. The male flowers, separate from the female flowers, are grouped in pendulous catkins measuring 40 to 60 mm. The female flowers are grouped in 2 to 4 at the ends of the branches. Mature trees produce fruits called beech nuts, which are brown, shiny, and covered in prickles. These 12 to 18 mm long fruits are edible in small quantities. Mountain dwellers used to use them to make flour.

Fagus sylvatica 'Rotundifolia' is a very hardy tree, requiring no maintenance where it thrives. It prefers cool and temperate, or mountain, climates and will suffer in excessively hot and dry summers. Planted as a specimen tree, this beech tree becomes a focal point in a medium to large garden.