Great Plant Pick: Cutleaf purple beech

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 12, 2023

What: Fagus sylvatica ‘Rohanii’, commonly called the cutleaf purple beech, is one of the most majestic trees to add to the larger landscape. The structural beauty of the smooth, gray barked trunk and muscular lateral layered branches is only surpassed by the striking foliage. Deeply lobed, dark red-purple leaves grace this deciduous tree. The fringed margins create a stained glass effect when the glow of sunlight streaks through the canopy.

Where: Tolerant of tough urban conditions, it is best used as a specimen tree, making a dominant statement for the garden. Minimize planting beneath this tree, as mature specimens cast a deep shade and have a shallow competitive root system. It can tolerate a variety of soil conditions from sand to clay as long as the drainage is adequate. Avoid planting near driveways or patios, where the sticky “honeydew” from aphids can create a mess.

Size: Grows to 25 feet tall in 10 years and 80 feet tall at maturity.

Care: Occasional watering during prolonged dry periods. Minimal pruning is required, but should be done by an arborist or gardener with training.

— greatplantpicks.org