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Key identifying features.. Purple or
copper ovate leaves.
Common name.. Dawyck Purple Beech
Scientific name.. Fagus sylvatica
- 'Dawyck Purple'
Mature height.. 50 to 75 feet
Mature spread.. 10 to 35 feet
Form.. Columnar, upright, symmetrical
Fruit.. Brown oval nut, half-inch to
an inch in size with a dry, hard covering; attracts birds and is suited for human consumption but presents no significant
litter problem.
Flowers.. Spring flowers are inconspicuous.
Foliage.. Deciduous; purple leaves in
sun, green in shade, turning to bronze in summer and fall. Leaves are simple, alternate, ovate and are 2 to 4 inches in length.
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| Leaf on May 9, 2006. Is the fuzz a factor of youth? Guess we'll find out. |
Growth rate.. Slow. (See the growth chart for pictures, but you might want to bookmark this page and come back in about 10 years!)
Culture.. Full sun or part shade, grows
in many soil types.
Best time to prune.. (Still researching
this answer.)
Fun Fact.. The Royal Botanic Garden in
Edinburgh features a unique 100-foot-tall Dawyck Purple Beech on its Beech Walk. According to their Web site, the tree "was
found as a chance seedling in the woods to the east of the garden by Sir John Naesmyth, and he transplanted it to its present
position in the grounds of Dawyck House."
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| The customized tree tag has my name on it! |
Julie's Comments.. (May
2006) I needed a new project like I needed a hole in my head, but my tree hugger friend, Todd, convinced me to get a new tree
to follow on my diary site. I have no room in my yard for a new tree, so he suggested I think to the future and find a tiny,
slow-growing tree that I could keep in a container for at least a few years. In tribute to my all-time favorite tree, the
purple European beech that used to live near my house, I finally decided on this columnar cultivar of that tree. After I placed the order with
Forest Farm in Oregon, I immediately had buyer's remorse. Why was I buying a new tree? I have no room! But when it arrived
today, I peeked inside the box, finding the most perfect little tree I've ever seen. I immediately fell in love.
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| Click here for the Dawyck Purple Beech Journal |
Planting date.. May 2006.
Not officially planted yet. The sapling is 18" tall and has a trunk measuring about 0.5" around. The tree needs a few days
to acclimate to her new home environment after spending more than a week inside a box. She was shipped from Oregon on April
27 and arrived at my doorstep on May 6 with soil that was still moist and leaves that looked absolutely perfect. By the way,
the packing of the tree for shipping was obviously done with serious attention to detail by the people at Forest Farm. This
little tree has already come a long way in life!
DO OVER?.. Yes.
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