Purple fountain European beech

Purple Fountain European Beech

Scientific Name
Fagus sylvatica ‘Purple Fountain’
Order
Fagales
Family
Fagaceae
Type
Tree
Endangered Status
n/a
Number of Recorded Individuals at the Zoo
1

Purple Fountain European beech has a weeping form and dense, dramatic dark-purple foliage that turn bronze in the fall and provides cover for birds and small mammals. This slow-growing cultivar can be grown as a single specimen or as an accent among other plants in full sun to partial shade. The seeds produced by beech trees are called beechnut and are a key food source for wildlife.

Native Range
From cultivation; species native to Europe
USDA Hardiness Zone
4–7
Average Mature Height
25 feet
Flower Color
Yellow-green
Flowering Months
April–May
Supports
Birds

Second Saturday Garden Tours

Join fellow nature lovers for a free, guided tour of Lincoln Park Zoo’s diverse plant life and ecosystems. During each tour, a zoo horticulturist will point out interesting species in bloom, answer questions from guests, and discuss the horticulture program’s past, present, and future.

Learn More

Closeup of leaves on a tree

An Accredited Arboretum

In 2019, Lincoln Park Zoo earned Level II arboretum accreditation in recognition of the Horticulture staff’s ongoing effort to identify, label, and monitor the more than 330 species of trees, shrubs, and woody plants represented across the 49-acre park.

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