Purple Fountain Beech

Watering for a Purple Fountain Beech should occur approximately once per week. How much water will depend on the temperature and humidity level of the environment. During warm summer months, a thorough soak of about 1-2 gallons of water per medium-sized plant is recommended, for a root zone of about 5 inches below the soil surface. During cooler weather, reduce waterings to every 10-14 days, and only use 1 gallon for a thorough soak. Make sure to wait until the soil is dry on top before each watering; over-watering can result in root rot.

The Purple Fountain Beech (Fagus sylvatica 'Purple Fountain') is a deciduous plant that does best when planted in full sun or partial shade. It will benefit from at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight each day, preferably morning sunlight. When grown in full sun, it develops its most vibrant purple foliage. Lacking the needed light, the leaves of the Purple Fountain Beech will fade to pale purple or even green.

Purple Fountain Beech trees should be pruned only when necessary, as these trees are slow-growing and should not require heavy pruning. Pruning should take place between late winter and early spring when the tree is still dormant. If pruning is needed, only remove branches that appear to be diseased, dead, or are rubbing against other trees. Also, make sure to reduce the length of large branches, removing no more than 1/3 of the branch. However, because of the slow-growing nature of this species, pruning should not happen more than once every 3 years.