Beech (Fagus sylvatica)

Our range of Beech (Fagus sylvatica) bare root plants

We have Beech bare root plants in several sizes and specifications.   The 1U1 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 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.

We also have cell grown beech plants which are grown by one of the UK's best specialist growers and these are ideal for forestry, woodland creation and amenity but can also be used for domestic planting schemes.  Cell grown plants are available all year round.

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.

You can read more about the various specifications we offer in each species on the tab just below our pricing table to the right of this product description.

Beech (Fagus sylvatica) Summary

Beech is brilliant for hedging as well as a majestic tree.  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) 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 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 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.

This section gives definitions on the specifications of plants that we sell.  We are specialists in field grown (or bare root) plants which are grown in two ways.  The majority are grown from seed, some are ready within one growing season (seedlings or 1+0's) and some species require two growing seasons (1u1's).  In addition to growing from seed we also grow from small plants or cuttings (transplants) which are much more widely spaced (taking more land, more irrigation water, fertilisers and labour).  There are only a handful of bare root wholesale nurseries in the UK and of those even fewer grow transplants but Ray Jenkins has many years' experience of transplanting so we grow these in large volumes.  Ray has written this blog about the benefits of bare root plants and how they are grown and another blog which gives further detail on bare root specifications.

The detailed specifications are shown below.  If you are in doubt about what specification to use please email us on enquiries@rjtreesandhedging.co.uk with a description of the project (and photos if appropriate) and we will advise you.

1+0 - field grown in one season from seed, known as a seedling (sometimes called a whip), generally a slender single stem plant.   These are the cheapest specification and are particularly suitable for planting where weed competition will be less intense, soil is shallow or on exposed windy sites.  Gives a high root to shoot ratio and minimal plant "check".

2+0 - a 2 year seedling, field grown from seed in the same seed bed in two growing seasons where the species cannot be grown to a saleable plant from seed in one season

1U1 - 2 year old plant called an undercut, field grown for two seasons in the same seed bed and undercut by machine (a sharp blade cutting the roots under the soil level) after the first year to develop the root structure. We do this with several species which take 2 years to develop (eg oak, beech, hornbeam)

1+1 - 2 year old plant (transplant) grown from seed in the first year and then transplanted into a different area of the field and spaced out for the second growing season - a robust plant with a larger and more robust root system than seedling or undercut plant which will enable it to better withstand drought and weed competition. Often the best choice and the staple norm for farm hedging and this specification is a requirement of the Countryside Stewardship Grant

1+2- a 3 year old plant, two years field growing in the seedbed and then transplanted (and spaced out) for a further two growing seasons giving a tall, stocky, bushy plant

2+1- a 3 year old plant, two years field growing in the seedbed and then transplanted (and spaced out) for a further growing season, giving a strong bushy plant

3+1 - as above but field grown for a further growing season for more height and a very bushy plant

1+3- 4 year old, one year field growing in the seed beds and then transplanted (and spaced out) for three years, giving a very strong, bushy plant

2+2- 4 year old, two years field growing in the seed beds and then transplanted (and spaced out) for a further two years - a very mature plant suited to certain species like beech and hornbeam where we can offer almost instant hedging

and some that are a bit different.....

P9 - a plant grown in a greenhouse or polytunnel in a 9cm pot (for holly which germinates poorly in the field)

Cell grown - a plant grown in small deep cells (like a small yogurt pot) and then lifted out of those for transportation. Commonly used in forestry and large hedging projects.  Very high quality plants with excellent success rate.  See our blog on the benefits of cell grown plants.

C+1 or C+2 - a 3 or 4 year old plant initally started as hardwood cuttings grown on for a year as cell grown plants and then lined out in fields to grow on for a further 1 or 2 years (a technique used for Cherry Laurel)

0/1 - a hardwood cutting, then field grown for one season (for example for white willow, black poplar and osier)