European Beech

European Beech

Fagus sylvatica

Fagaceae (Beech Family)

▲ ▼ mature, red (or purple)-leaved forms

▲ mature, red (or purple)-leaved forms

▲ ▼ younger, red (or purple)-leaved forms

▲ foliage and fruit on red (purple) leaved European Beech

▲ mature, cutleaf form

▲ leaves on cutleaf form of European Beech

▲ ▼ young tricolor European Beech (above) and leaves (below)

▲ ▼ weeping forms of European Beech

▲ ▼ leaves on green-leaf form of European Beech

▲ ▼ trunk and smooth bark

▲ looking up into canopies

▲ European Beech trimmed as a hedge in Dublin, Ireland

▲ landscape with several forms of European Beech in Providence, RI

Location on campus: north side of Karls Hall.

Fagus sylvatica: European Beech

leaves similar to American Beech except margins often hairy; color is often darker green and may be slightly pubescent when young; some cultivars have purple or bronze-colored leaves
stems also slender, but more olive brown in color
bark is smooth, darker gray than American Beech
grows 50-60' tall, more of a rounded habit than American Beech; some cultivars are fastigiate (narrow, upright branching) and some are weeping (drooping branches), some have purple/red, tricolor or dissected leaves
fruit also a spiny capsule
prefers same conditions as American Beech, but more tolerant of various soil types
slow to medium growth rate