Fagus Sylvatica Purpurea Tree (12L, 5-6ft)

Add vibrant dark purple appeal to your summer garden with this imposing Copper Beech tree. It has a strong, broad-headed habit and can reach heights of 30m and a spread of 25m in a 20 year period. It is ideal for medium to large sized gardens where it will delight with summer hues of deep purple mixed with green.

As autumn approaches, the foliage turns bronze-brown, sometimes remaining like that almost until the new spring growth appears. The Copper Beech has a smooth bark with a grey tint, creating a wonderful contrast against the purple leaves.

This tree is suited to most soil types but will do less well in very wet soil. It is fully hardy and will produce its most vibrant shades when planted in full sun. It is very resistant to disease and requires minimal maintenance.

Like many beech trees over the ages, the wood has been used for a variety of purposes from making furniture to cooking utensils and tool handles. The wood was also used by aspiring cooks, it was burnt and used to impart a unique flavour to smoked herring. The edible nuts were sometimes used as cheap pig fodder and in France are still roasted and used as a coffee substitute.

Plant this imposing tree in a large garden as a focal point to create interest and colour. You can also grow the Copper Beech as a wonderful hedge along a boundary wall. If it is clipped regularly, it will not shed its leaves, providing a dense screen all year round that adds to the ambience of your living space by attracting a wide variety of garden birds.