Scientific Name: Fagus sylvatica Atropurpurea Group
Common Name: copper beech, purple beech
Family Name: Fagaceae
Origin: Europe
Hardiness Zone: Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C)
Plant Type: Tree - deciduous
Mature Size: 15 - 22m x 10 - 15m (height x width)
Habit: Upright
Form: Pyramidal - widely
Texture: Medium - coarse
Landscape Uses: Fall interest, Shade tree, Specimen plant, Street (boulevard tree), Summer interest
Exposure: Full sun
Soil or Media: Well-drained
Leaves: Simple, Alternate, Soft flexible, Heavily veined, Pinnate venation, Glabrous, Elliptic, Ovate, Undulate (wavy)
Flowers: Catkin (ament), Red, Apr-May
Fruit: Edible, Nut, (Accessory tissue)
Key ID Features:
Leaves alternate, deltoid to ovate, glossy with margins entire, undulate, and often ciliate, dark red; fruit capsule-like, brown, bristly. Winter ID: bark smooth, silver-grey, with a horizontal pattern (like an elephant's leg); buds narrowly conical, most 1-2.5cm long x 4-5mm wide, pointed, spear-like, divergent, reddish-brown with grey fuzz.