European Beech

Fagus sylvatica

Year-Round Beauty
Popular ornamental tree in parks and gardens
"Beech Nuts" Act as Important Wildlife Food including Wild Turkeys, Foxes, and Porcupines
Zones 4 to 7
Grows to 50' to 60' with a 40' Spread
Can't Ship To: AK, AZ, HI

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Zones 4 - 7

Hardiness Zones: Zones 4 - 7
The European Beech can be expected to grow in the zones shown in color in the arborday.org zone map.VIEW MAP

ornamental tree

Type of tree:
The European Beech falls into the following type(s): Ornamental Trees, Shade Trees

50' - 60' High

Mature Height:
The European Beech grows to be 50' - 60' feet in height.

35' - 45' Spread

Mature Spread:
The European Beech has a spread of about 35' - 45' at full maturity.

Slow to Medium Growth

Growth Rate:
This tree grows at a slow to medium growth rate. [More about this.]

Full Sun

Sun:
This beech does well in full sun.

Various Soils

Soil:
The European Beech grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well drained, clay soils.

Oval Shape

Shape:
This beech has oval shape.

More Info

Attributes:
Described by many experts as the finest specimen tree available, the European Beech tree will reward the owners of large properties who plant them with year 'round beauty. The trunk is particularly handsome and the copper colored autumn leaves are unmatched for their beauty.

Wildlife Value:
Beechnuts are eaten by birds and mammals and are important food for chipmunks and squirrels.

History/Lore/Use:
The European Beech tree has an unmatched place in history. The Beech nuts were food for prehistoric man and are still consumed today. The wood has been employed for centuries for both fire and furniture in Europe. Historians claim that the first written European literature was inscribed on Beech bark in Sanskrit. The English word 'book" comes from the Anglo-Saxon "boc", a derivative for the Anglo-Saxon "beece" or Beech.

Moisture:
This tree prefers moist, well-drained soil, but has some drought tolerance.

Leaves:
This tree has alternate leaves, simple 3 to 5 inches long, light green, copper color in autumn.

Flower Color:
Light brown and pale.

Bloom Time:
April-May.

Fruit Description:
Oval, 1/2 to 1 inch, dry, brown, edible.

The European Beech is a beautiful tree year-round. The leaves are a shimmering green when unfolding, turning to a dark green in summer. Lustrous rich russet brown and golden bronze in fall. Dense, upright, oval form. The 'beech nuts" also act as an important wildlife food source for a variety of animals. Prefers moist, well-drained soil and full sun. Grows 50'-60' with a 40' spread. (Zones 4-7)

		Spring Shipping		Fall Shipping
Color	Zone	Approximate Ship Dates	Order Deadline	Approximate Ship Dates	Order Deadline
	2	04/15–05/30	05/14	11/01–11/26	11/12
	3	04/15–05/30	05/14	11/01–11/26	11/12
	4	04/15–05/30	05/14	11/01–11/26	11/12
	5	04/15–05/30	05/14	11/01–11/26	11/12
	6	03/19–05/12	05/07	11/01–12/03	11/19
	7	03/11–05/07	04/30	11/05–12/10	11/26
	8	02/26–04/30	04/23	11/05–12/10	11/26
	9	02/26–04/30	04/23	11/05–12/10	11/26
	10	02/26–04/30	04/23	11/05–12/10	11/26

We're sorry, but this tree can't be shipped to AK, AZ, HI , territories, or countries outside the U.S. This is due to the agricultural laws within these locations.

When you order trees from The Arbor Day Foundation, your order is guaranteed to arrive in a good, healthy condition or we'll replace them at no charge. Your trees will be shipped at a suitable time for planting.

Each tree is guaranteed to grow, or we'll replace it at one half the original price, plus shipping and handling.

The benefits of bare-root trees

Our trees are delivered with natural bare roots which have been dipped in hydrating gel prior to shipment to keep the roots moist and healthy. As their abundant, fibrous roots aren't confined by a container, bare-root trees get off to a more vigorous start compared to containerized roots which typically need more time to adjust to transplanting. Bare-root trees typically surpass the size of larger containerized trees in only a few years.

	Standard		Dwarf
	Mature Height	Space Needed	Mature Height	Space Needed
Apple	20' - 25'	35' x 35'	10' **	10' x 10' ++
Peach	20'	20' x 20'	8' - 10'	10' x 10'
Sweet Cherry	30'	20' x 25'	12' - 15'	10' x 10'
Sour Cherry	20'	20' x 20'	8'	10' x 10'
Pear	20'	20' x 20'	12' - 15'	12' x 12'
Apricot	20'	20' x 20'
Plum	20'	20' x 20'	8' - 10'	10' x 10'
			** semi-dwarf 12' - 15' ++ semi-dwarf 12' x 12'

Natural Root and Containerized Trees

Natural root (also called bare root) trees are shipped without soil around their roots. They are shipped when dormant in the spring and fall seasons. We dip the roots in a hydrating gel to keep them moist during shipping.

There are a number of advantages to natural root trees:

They are very affordable.
Their roots re-establish themselves well once they are planted in their permanent location.
They are easy to plant at the correct depth.

The Urban Horticulture Institute at Cornell University has an interesting article about the benefits of planting natural root trees. Look for the PDF entitled Creating the Urban Forest: The Bare Root Method

Potted (also called containerized) trees come in 4" containers.

If you have questions, please call (888) 448-7337 or E-mail Member Services.

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