| Scientific Name: | Fagus sylvatica 'Aspleniifolia' |
| Common Name: | fern-leaf beech |
| Family Name: | Fagaceae |
| Origin: | Europe, Garden origin |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Tree - deciduous |
| Mature Size: | 22 - 30m x 10 - 15m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Dense, Spreading, Twiggy |
| Form: | Oval - vertical, Round |
| Texture: | Medium - fine |
| Landscape Uses: | Shade tree, Specimen plant, Street (boulevard tree), Summer interest, Tall background |
| Exposure: | Full sun |
| Soil or Media: | Alkaline, Well-drained |
| Leaves: | Simple, Dissected, Fern-like, Alternate, Soft flexible, Pinnate venation, Lustrous, Lanceolate, Incised, Pinnately lobed |
| Flowers: | Catkin (ament), Yellow, Apr-May |
| Fruit: | Edible, Nut, (Accessory tissue), White, Green, Brown, Sep-Oct |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Leaves alternate, most lanceolate, 5-8cm long x 1.5-3cm wide, heavily dissected, petioles ~1cm long; capsule-like fruit ~2cm long, bristly, open in 4 parts, most with 2 brown triangular "nuts". Winter ID: persistent or fallen leaves; 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. | |