Easily recognized by its beautiful purple leaves which appear in April, usually starting out as new, shiny wavy red then maturing to purple. The leaves turn reddish-brown in autumn as the hedge enters its dormant winter phase. During the winter months the dead leaves hold onto the branches and remain on the hedge through to the spring providing all year-round privacy like an evergreen hedge does.
Copper beech make excellent formal garden hedges and privacy screens. It can be planted in full sun or partial shade and its preference is moist, but well-drained soil. However, heavy clays soils or locations subject to prolonged periods of waterlogging are best avoided.