Fagus sylvatica 'Black Swan' 12Ltr pot

Fagus sylvatica (Atropurpurea Group) 'Black Swan' (12L Pot)

Widely regarded as one of the most dramatic weeping trees available, 'Black Swan' bears the deepest purple-black foliage of any beech, emerging dark red-bronze in spring before deepening to an almost black purple through summer — richest of all in full sun — then turning warm golden-copper in autumn before falling. The smooth, silver-grey bark creates a striking silhouette once the branches are bare in winter.

This tightly-formed, slowly weeping tree grows with real vigour when young, its horizontal branches gradually becoming pendulous as the tree matures, creating dense, cascading curtains of foliage that make each specimen genuinely unique. Inconspicuous flower catkins in spring are followed by typical spiny beech fruits.

Tolerant of a wide range of soils including chalk, loam and sand, it thrives in full sun, which brings out the richest foliage colour — leaves in shaded parts of the canopy will fade to green. Slowly reaching an eventual height of around 4–8m with a much narrower spread of 1.5–2.5m, its compact, weeping form makes it an outstanding architectural specimen for smaller gardens, courtyards, or as a dramatic focal point in a border.

Supplied as a well-established plant in a 12-litre pot, ready to plant out and establish quickly.

Each plant is hand-selected before dispatch.