European beech

Family: beech. Occurs wild in Western Europe, Western Ukraine and Belarus. Present in a number of nature reserves in the European part of Russia. Forms pure stands on slopes up to 1450 m above sea level and mixed stands with other broad-leaved species on rich soils. A very shade-tolerant mesophyte.

A tall tree up to 30 m high, with a slender trunk and a powerful ovoid crown. The bark of young branches is reddish-brown, trunks light gray, smooth. Leaves large, up to 10 cm long, elliptic, slightly wavy at the margin, glossy, somewhat leathery, dark green in summer and very attractively colored in autumn, from yellow to copper tones. Male and female flowers are borne separately on the shoots. The fruit is a three-angled nut up to 1.5 cm long, enclosed in a husk covered with awl-shaped projections.

Grows slowly, very shade-tolerant, warmth-loving (especially the ornamental forms), demands high air humidity, poorly tolerant of drought, develops well on calcareous soils. Lives up to 500 years, but old trees are usually diseased. Propagated by seeds, layering, and summer cuttings. One of the most valuable species for landscape design. It is used to create substantial groups and masses in parks and forest-parks, as solitary specimens on glades. Forms excellent clipped hedges and walls. In cultivation for a very long time. Combines well with white fir, hooked pine, Norway spruce, yew, Canadian hemlock, junipers, birches, plane tree, hornbeam, rowans, oaks, hazel, spindle, Rugosa rose and others. European beech can grow both in partial shade and in the sun. Low frost resistance.

Many ornamental varieties are known, differing from the typical species in the shape, coloration and size of the leaves, overall habit and bark structure; all of them are propagated by grafting and layering. Among the great variety the following can be highlighted:

a) by crown shape: pyramidal (f. pyramidalis); weeping (f. pendula) - see photo, with very long (up to 6 m) main branches hanging down;

b) by crown shape and outline of the leaf blade: pectinate (f. pectinata) - low-growing, with small, curved, deeply toothed leaves; crested (f. cristata) - dwarf in stature with spreading, twisted branches, drooping at the tips, with small leaves; cochleate (f. cochleata) - dwarf with spoon-shaped concave leaves;

c) by outline and size of the leaves: oak-leaved (f. quercifoiia); large-toothed (f. grandidentata); round-leaved (f. rotundifolia); cut-leaved (f. laciniata); broad-leaved (f. latifolia);

d) by crown shape and leaf color: purple weeping (f. purpurea pendula); golden weeping (f. aurea pendula);

e) by outline and color of the leaves: Rohanii (f. Rohanii) - with purple, pinnately-lobed leaves; Ansorge (f. Ansorgei) - with purple, dissected leaves; large-leaved purple (f. purpurea macrophylla) - with large, glossy, dark purple leaves, very beautiful;

f) by leaf coloration: white-variegated (f. albo-variegata); golden (f. aurea); marbled (f. marmorata) - with white-green-spotted leaves; gold-margined (f. aureo-marginata); rose-margined (f. roseo-marginata); striped (f. stricta) - with yellow and green stripes along the veins; tricolor (f. tricolor) - almost white leaves with green spots and a pink edge; dark purple (f. atropurpurea) - leaves dark purple all summer.

More detailed description:

'Ansorgei'. A very beautiful, delicate crown. This form has very narrow and long purple leaves.

'Aurea Pendula'. A graceful, slender form with branches that hang down almost parallel to the trunk. Leaves of a marvelous golden color, but in deep shade they turn green.

'Dawyck Gold'. A dense, columnar tree with yellow young foliage, which becomes pale green in summer.

'Rohanii'. This plant has leaves that are not only purple but also pinnately-lobed, making it very attractive and delicate. A slow-growing tree about 15 m high.

'Tortuosa Purpurea'. Interesting primarily because it has a spreading crown and can quite withstand wintering under our snow. In terms of leaves it is practically no different from other purple-leaved forms of beech. Purple leaf coloration occurs in many other forms and cultivars of this species as well: 'Purpurea Major', 'Atropurpurea', 'Atropurpurea Macrophylla', 'Norwegiensis', 'Purpurea Latifolia'.

'Zlatia'. A tree with a broad, rounded crown. Young leaves are large, glossy, delicately yellow in spring and early summer, then turn green, becoming yellowish-green. It was originally discovered in the forests of the former Yugoslavia. Therefore it is sometimes called the Serbian golden beech.

Ornamental forms of beech, besides solitary plantings, are widely used in complex contrasting compositions.