Copper beech
Copper beech (Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea) is a tree. It grows best in shade to full sun and has low water needs.
About Copper beech
Copper beech is a perennial, deciduous tree that grows 30 m tall. It needs another plant of its kind to pollinate it, so plant at least two. It can live for around 300 years.
Mammals and birds eat the fruit and spread the seeds.
How to plant copper beech
Copper beech does best in full sun, but also copes with shade. It grows in sandy soil, loam and clay, as long as the soil is well drained. It does best at a pH of 5–7. In a forest garden it belongs in the canopy.
Plant trees 15 m apart, at least 10 m. It struggles in compacted soil, so keep the soil loose. It is well established after about 3 years.
A year with Copper beech
Spring. Protect it from frost and cold in April. Plant out in April. It has small, inconspicuous flowers in May–July.
Summer. Prune it in August. Take a little off to tidy the shape. Less than you think.
Autumn. Protect it from frost and cold in September. Sow seed in September.
Winter. It rests through the winter. It needs around 1,000 hours of winter cold to crop well. It comes into leaf in February–April.
Pests and diseases
Copper beech can be attacked by woolly aphid, large pine weevil (hylobius abietis), short-snouted weevils (strophosoma melanogrammum, otiorhynchus scaber), deer and squirrels. Diseases include biscogniauxia nummularia, ganoderma applanatum and phytophthora ramorum.
Companions and wildlife
Copper beechThe family
Copper beech is a variety of European beech, in the genus Fagus. Open a species to see what lies under it.
Copper beechf. purpureaThis pageSources
Added to the wiki 12 October 2026
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