The Columnar Purple Beech is a deciduous tree with a strong upright form. The branches grow vertically upwards, making a tree that will be 25 feet tall, but just 6 feet across, with a low trunk and leaves from top to bottom. It will reach that size within 20 years, and after that develop into a venerable old specimen that could be 50 feet tall, but still only be 12 or 15 feet wide. The bark is smooth and a warm gray, staying that way even when old, something that is a distinctive feature of beech trees. Along with the lacy network of branches seen against a blue winter sky, that bark makes this tree a wonderful winter feature, so this is an all-year-round tree, without doubt.

The leaves of the Columnar Purple Beech are rounded ellipses, 2 to 4 inches long and 1 to 3 inches wide, with an undulating margin and a slightly pointed tip. They are smooth and softly lustrous in the sunlight. In spring the new leaves on this tree are a vibrant, deep purple-red. As they mature into summer they become dark burgundy-purple, holding this color well through the hotter weather. In a breeze the leaves flutter and catch the light in an attractive way. In fall they turn to brownish golds, making a graceful display. When young the leaves tend to stay on the tree through most of the winter, and even older trees may do this on the lower branches. The last leaves fall just before the new growth begins again. The rich coloring of this tree makes it a major garden feature.

Grow the Columnar Purple Beech as a lawn specimen – it doesn’t take a lot of horizontal space, so it can be used even in a smaller garden. Plant it as a single plant, or as a cluster of three trees for an outstanding feature. Grow it in as an eye-catching accent behind shrubs, or plant it on the edges of a woodland area. A row, spaced 4 to 8 feet apart, would make a stunning screen or boundary marker. A pair would frame the entrance to your property beautifully, and it could even be grown for some years in a large planter box to great effect.

The Columnar Purple Beech is hardy in zone 4, so it can be grown almost anywhere in the country. It thrives in most soils, except for wet ones, and this versatile tree is happy in everything from sand to clay. In heavier soils it grows well on slopes or banks and looks very effective on sloping ground. It grows at least 12 inches a year, and more during its early years, after establishment. For the best foliage colors it should be planted in full sun, but the tree itself is somewhat shade tolerant, and it will still look handsome with softer foliage coloring. It normally has no serious pests or diseases, and beech trees are widely recognized as easy to grow in most situations. Deer normally leave these trees alone.

The beech tree, Fagus sylvatica, grows wild across Europe, and it has been planted deliberately in gardens and parks for centuries. Trees live to be 200 to 300 years old, and over the years many unusual forms have been found and developed. The Dawyck Beech (pronounced Daw-wick) is a famous narrow, upright tree that was discovered among a batch of seedlings intended for a forest planting. Dawyck House is an ancient property in southern Scotland, owned since the 17th century by ardent plant collectors. Today it has an enormous collection of rare trees on its grounds. In the early 19th century a sharp-eyed gardener found that seedling, and planted it near the house, where it still grows today. It only became available for gardens in the early 20th century. 

Dick Van Hoey Smith is a famous dendrologist in Holland, who collects and breeds rare trees, and in the 1960s he decided to do some breeding with the Dawyck Beech. He used pollen from a purple-leaf beech – those trees are always garden favorites – and created seed on a Dawyck Beech with it. Among the seedlings one had both the upright form of the Dawyck Beech and the purple leaves of the other tree, and this tree became ‘Dawyck Purple’, the tree we call the Columnar Purple Beech, or the Purple Dawyck Beech. These outstanding trees are always in short supply, but in high demand. We have found some beautiful young trees, but we know they will be gone very soon, so order now, and grow this beautiful tree in your own garden.

Growing Tri-Color Beech Trees

The Tri-Color Beech grows into an upright, airy tree, eventually reaching 20 or 30 feet tall and 15 feet to 20 feet wide. It is not the shape, but the foliage, that makes it so very special. In spring the new leaves appear dressed in a dramatic shade of bright, rich pink-purple. If you look more closely you will see that each leaf is unique, with an irregular purple-pink zone, surrounded by a lighter pink zone. Some leaves will have a large purple area, others will be mostly pink. The effect is like a glowing pink sunset, radiating color across the garden, and holding your attention as no other tree will do. From a distance you might think this was a wonderful flowering tree, garlanded with bright flowers, but no, it is the remarkable leaves you are seeing.

The color continues all spring, and well into summer, until it fades gradually into a softer purple tone, fading just a little into the background of your garden. The arrival of cooler weather brings it back into prominence, as the leaves turn a gorgeous pale bronze. The leaves may stay on the tree well into winter, before falling, revealing smooth bark that is soft and gray, rather like the skin of an elephant. Then your tree will take a rest until it returns in spring dressed in sunset colors once again. Despite its remarkable and dramatic appearance, it is not difficult to grow, and it will develop into a superb, one-of-a-kind plant that is almost never seen in gardens, yet it is worthy of a place in every one.

Planting Location

Turning to practical matters, the Tri-Color Beech grows from zone 4 to 7, only failing in the hottest and coldest parts of the country. It will grow best in areas with moderate summer temperatures and regular rainfall. It should be grown in full sun to partial shade, and it does best with some afternoon sun in the summer months, or the leaves may burn a little – no harm done, but some loss of beauty will be the result. Grow it in moist, well-drained soil, enriched with organic material, and mulch the root zone with organic material in spring.

Care and Maintenance

Pruning is not needed, but you can train up a trunk if you wish, otherwise the branches will hold almost to the ground for a long time. You can keep the tree to a single trunk, or allow any multiple-trunks to develop, depending on your wishes. If you see any plain green or plain purple branches developing, remove them completely and quickly, so that they do not take over your tree. This is an easy tree to grow in suitable soil, climate and location, and it has no serious pests or diseases to be concerned about. It grows at a moderate rate of about 6 to 12 inches a year, and it may reach 30 feet in about that many years.

History and Origins of the Tri-Color Beech

The Tri-Color Beech is a special form of the European Beech, Fagus sylvatica. That tree grows across Europe and Britain, sometimes making whole forests, and sometimes mixed with other trees like oak. There are several forms with purple leaves, but the Tri-Color Beech is unique for its pink-purple leaves, such as we see in no other tree. It seems that this variation, which is basically a variegated leaf, but with a purple/pink, rather than the much more common green/white effect, has occurred several times. First in France and Holland in 1885, then again in 1888, and several times since then. North America is fortunate, because the American version, which may have originated before 1970 in Oregon, is very superior to European forms, and is the crème de la crème of an already beautiful and remarkable tree.

At the Tree Center we have been very fortunate to obtain some beautiful specimens of this unique tree, which must be grown by attaching stem pieces to roots of seedling beech trees. After carefully nurturing them for several years they are ready, and we know that this rare tree will rapidly sell, and soon be gone. We do not know when we may ever have another chance to offer them, so order now while our limited stock remains available.

Growing Purple Fountain Beech Trees

The Purple Fountain Beech is simply beautiful – there is almost nothing more to say. Once you see an established specimen it is love at first sight, and no wonder. This elegant tree grows with a single strong upright trunk, but the side branches arc outwards and down, cascading more and more as they grow, so that older branches fall many feet downwards to the ground. It really does make an effect exactly like a fountain, shooting up and then cascading downwards. Because of its single trunk it never grows very wide, and when young it will just be a few feet across. Even older trees are only 10 feet across, and a large, ancient specimen will be no more than 15 feet wide, yet by then it may be 30 feet tall – a magnificent sight that still fits into a small space. In winter you can enjoy the trunk, which is smooth and light gray like an elephant’s skin. The bare branches make a dramatic outline against the sky, twisting and curving as they fall.

Appearance

From summer to fall the Purple Fountain Beech lives up to its name and is covered in rich purple-burgundy leaves. The leaves are oval, up to 4 inches long and 2 inches wide, with a softly-serrated margin. They are slightly cupped, and the coloring is just spectacular. This bold color on an already wonderful tree really is the icing on the cake. The color is held all summer, especially in full sun and cooler areas, and in fall it slowly turns yellowish and then tan-brown. The leaves often stay on the try for a long time into the winter, possibly until spring, which makes for an interesting winter effect too.

Uses on Your Property

Obviously, such a special tree deserves a special place. Plant it beside your house, at least 5 feet from the foundations, or plant it as a specimen in an open lawn. Use it at the back of beds, so that the branches are set against the sky, to really show off that unique profile. It would also look dramatic in an Asian-themed garden, adding a touch of the exotic (even if not authentic to the Far East). Wherever you plant it, make sure you can watch it develop, and see its wonderful form without obstruction.

Planting and Initial Care

The Purple Fountain Beech grows well in zones 4 to 7, doing best in full sun, for maximum leaf color. Plants in shade may become more greenish. It will grow well in all kinds of soil, as long as they are well-drained, so that is unlikely to be an issue, wherever you garden. This tree has no significant pests or diseases, and it is long-lived, growing more and more beautiful every year. Remarkably, unlike most other weeping trees, it does not need staking to develop that central trunk – it happens completely naturally, although young trees may benefit from staking for a few years until they are 6 feet tall or so. After that, just let it go and it will go up and up. Should you see any green shoots arising from the base, remove them completely and immediately, to protect the purity of your tree.

History and Origins of the Purple Fountain Beech

The Purple Fountain Beech is a special form of the European Beech (Fagus sylvatica). This large forest tree has several different forms with purple foliage, but they are almost all large and wide-spreading, and they need a large garden to be appreciated. The variety called ‘Purple Fountain’ was found in the Netherlands, in the 1960s. It was a seedling of another, larger weeping purple beech, ‘Purpurea Pendula’, which was developed around 1865. With its smaller size, ‘Purple Fountain’ was immediately exciting to garden experts, and in 1975 the famous Royal Horticultural Society, in England, gave it the prestigious ‘Award of Garden Merit’ – a stamp of approval you can count on.

These trees need careful growing and development, and ours are produced by a specialized nursery experienced in their production. They are grown by attaching stem pieces from original trees to the roots of seedling beech trees for strength and vigor. We are excited to have these spectacular trees to offer you, but order now, because very, very soon they will all be gone.

The deciduous Red Obelisk is the result of a seedling crossed with two other varieties, the “Dawyck” that was pollinated by “Rohanii” and the Red Obelisk was born. The tree first appeared in Holland where it was raised until the late 1980s when it made its way to North America. It has since then become a popular addition to urban, suburban, and city gardens. Its tall columnar and sharp upright pointed branches allowed even the smallest garden to host such a tree. The Red Obelisk is also quite tolerant of soil conditions that may not be optimal. As long as the tree has adequate drainage and is not planted near standing water, it is able fare well in almost all soil types.

Growing Red Obelisk European Beech Trees

The leaves of the Red Obelisk emerge first as a dark red color. Their uniquely shaped leaves then turn to a darker purple coming into the summer months which bring a splash of color and contrast to their surroundings. During the winter season the purple leaves change to a coppery bronze color, allowing the Red Obelisk to stand out among its green colored counterparts and create an eye catching focal point in the winter months. The Red Obelisk also bears triangular shaped nuts within a bristled cupule. These are a great source of food for local wildlife and will help attract birds and smaller animals to your garden area.

Hardiness

The Red Obelisk European Beech does prefer lots of sunlight though, so you will want to make sure that it is located in a position that it will benefit from most of the daylight hours. It is also tolerant of urban pollution; this plays a major role as to why it is chosen for many city landscapes. Red Obelisks are also tolerable of colder climates as they are able to handle temperatures down to about -30 degrees F. In the coldest of locations (Zones 4 and 5) you may want to think about the location of your tree to ensure that it will have some protection against the elements.

Care and Maintenance

This particular species of beech is very easy to maintain. Unlike other trees that are subject to multitudes of insect pests and forms of rot and mildew, the Red Obelisk is resistant to many of the most common pest or plant diseases. While the tree is establishing itself in its new location, you will want to make sure that it is adequately watered without letting it get too dry or overwatered. The branches do tend to grow very low to the ground on this particular tree so mulching the base may not be necessary unless you are in a colder climate or expect long periods without rain. Mulching the base of the tree can help increase ground temperature to prevent frozen roots as well as help maintain an adequate level of moisture for the tree.

As far as pruning is concerned, this comes down to your own personal choice. You can prune the tree so that it maintains a more uniform appearance from top to bottom or you can let it grow naturally only removing dead branches or trimming back new growth that may look unsightly.

Adding Red Obelisk European Beech Trees to Your Property

Overall, the Red Obelisk is a stunning tree that you simply cannot go wrong with. It is great for both smaller and larger landscaping projects, while being easy to maintain and resistant to many of the common pests and diseases. Wildlife will use its lofty upright branches to live and play in over the years as well. Welcome spring with a nest full of baby birds or sit back on cool summer evening watching squirrels dart back and forth.

The tree’s beautiful and unique changing colors will definitely add depth and contrast to your existing landscape. However, using the Red Obelisk as a central design element also has its benefits. You can plan your garden by adding this beautiful example of what nature has to offer and build up your landscape around it, making it the most prominent tree on your land. As the Red Obelisk is capable of living for more than 100 years, it is sure to bring much enjoyment with its visual appeal to any location.