Beech, copper (Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea)

Copper beech, also known as purple beech, is a cultivated form of common beech (although copper-coloured beech trees are also sometimes found in nature). It grows to a height of more than 40m. The bark is smooth, thin and grey, often with slight horizontal etchings. Twigs are slender and grey but not straight – their shape resembles a zig-zag. Torpedo-shaped leaf buds are coppery and up to 2cm in length, with a distinctive criss-cross pattern.

Look out for: the red to purple leaves which mark a clear difference in comparison to common beech.

Identified in winter by: its sharply pointed buds, a feature it shares with common beech.

What does copper beech look like?

Not to be confused with:

Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). Copper beech leaves have a wavy edge with small hairs, whereas the hornbeam’s leaves have serrated margins.

Where to find copper beech

Copper beech doesn’t occur naturally, but is planted in urban and rural areas across the UK as an ornamental tree for its distinctive purple leaves.

It has several habitat requirements, including a humid atmosphere and well-drained soil. It prefers fertile, calcified or lightly acidic ground and is often found on the side of hills.

Mythology and symbolism

There is little folklore relating to beech. However, in Celtic mythology, Fagus was the god of beech trees. It was thought to have medicinal properties – beech leaves were used to relieve swellings, and boiling the leaves could make a poultice.

Uses of copper beech

Copper beech is a popular horticultural plant, especially when planted as large specimen trees, but it is not loved by all. The 20th century gardener Russell Page said in his book The Education of a Gardener “Nothing destroys the harmony of a garden more than the dark blotch of a copper beech”.

It makes a good hedging plant, especially since it can be cut back hard. If clipped it doesn't shed its leaves, and provides a year-round, dense screen which is a great habitat for garden birds.

Like common beech, copper beech timber can be used for a variety of purposes, including fuel, furniture, cooking utensils, tool handles and sports equipment. The wood burns well and was traditionally used to smoke herring. The edible nuts, or masts, were once used to feed pigs, and in France they are still sometimes roasted and used as a coffee substitute.

Threats and conservation

Beech trees are sometimes susceptible to root rot from a variety of fungal pathogens, including Phytophthora. Some trees can suffer from beech bark disease, caused by a combination of a sap-sucking scale insect (Cryptococcus fagisuga) and canker fungus (Nectria coccinea). Severe infestations can kill affected trees. It is also very vulnerable to bark stripping by grey squirrels.