Our range of Beech (Fagus sylvatica) bare root plants

We have Beech bare root plants in several sizes and specifications.   The 1U1 2 year old specification plants are seedlings (often called whips) which were planted from seed in the spring and instead of being sold in the following November to April period they are kept in the same position in our fields and grown on for a further year or longer which makes a strong bushy 2 year old plant. In early spring we undercut the roots to encourage fibrous root development.

We also have beech transplants which begin as one year old whips which are lifted, have their roots manually trimmed to encourage bushy growth and are then planted back out for one or more growing seasons in a different area of our fields at lower density to give each plant more space, nutrients and water. 

All the bare root plants described above are available in the November to April bare root season.

Beech is one of our top selling species so we always have several batches of seed including UK Select Stand (ideal where the trees are being grown for timber production), UK provenance and the highest quality imported seed, so if the seed provenance is important to you, please give us a call.

All of the Beech plants we sell are suitable as hedging plants or can be allowed to grow as full size trees.   We grow the vast majority of them ourselves in Herefordshire, only occasionally buying in larger stock from other trusted British growers.

Beech (Fagus sylvatica) Summary

Beech is brilliant for hedging as well as a majestic tree on its own but more often found in woods.  As a hedging plant, it can be trimmed to a formal shape and because it holds most of its leaves throughout winter (only pushed off by new growth in spring), a phenomenon known as marcescence, it provides winter cover though technically it is a deciduous plant.  As a tree it grows tall (up to 40m) with smooth grey bark and has a large spreading crown.  Beech woodlands provide wonderful environments for all sorts of shade tolerant plants and associated wildlife.  Beech woods are atmospheric places in autumn when leaves and masts have fallen and carpet the ground in a copper colour.

Sometimes referred to as the "queen of British trees", consort to the English Oak's king, it is associated with femininity, the mother or empress of the woodland.

Very few nurseries in the UK grow beech bare root plants - but we grow most specifications ourselves.

We have a blog on the differences between Beech and Hornbeam.

Soil and Situation

Best suited to well drained soils where there is good summer rainfall (look at Hornbeam for a similar hedging plant better suited to damper soils).  It is native to the south east and south west of the UK (and most of Europe) but generally performs really well in all UK locations (particularly chalky uplands and limestone soils) though it can be sensitive to winter frost so best to avoid known frost pockets.

Leaves, flowers, fruit and bark

The leaf buds are like little brown torpedoes in shape which fatten and unfurl beautifully over the course of a few days to a delicate light green fluttery leaf, which gradually matures to mid green before turning autumnal coloured and eventually into a solid copper colour.  Leaves are mostly held on the tree or hedge in winter (though some will drop) which is a process called marcescens.

Not really a “flowering” species, it nevertheless does have male and female flowers on the same plant.  Male flowers are little catkins and female flowers are little green flowers in pairs protected by a cup like a spiny husk, which becomes woody and holds one or two beech “nuts” called “beechmast” which cover the ground in autumn in beech woodlands and are eaten by squirrels, birds, and mice.

The buds, leaves and branches have an alternate pattern and the leaves are oval with straight, parallel veins that run from the central rib to the edge.

The bark is quite smooth and grey in colour.

The large dense canopy helps Beech play a vital role in the ecosystems of woodlands, creating an environment where only shade-tolerant plants will grow, providing sustenance for caterpillars and moths and the nuts and seeds sustain many small woodland birds and mammals.  The trees are also relatively long-living (around 300 years) which allows it to become a habitat for deadwood specialists like wood-boring insects and hole-nesting birds.

Eventual height and growth rate

For hedging, Beech is good at all heights between 1m and 3m though it can be grown taller (see the Meikleour beech hedge near Blairgowrie which is 30m tall and gets pruned only every 10 years - which takes 2 tree climbers 6 weeks!) and as a tree it is tall (one of the UK's tallest native trees), elegant and sinuous, growing to 40m, sometimes taller.  Beech has an average growth rate.  Young plants will grow by about 40cm pa.  Beech is not long living like oak or yew but it is as much part of our landscape and one of the most beautiful of all broadleaved trees in all seasons.

Fagaceae family.