It takes up to 30, sometimes even 40 years for the copper beech to bloom for the first time. The flowers are inconspicuous and play no role in garden design. In many years no flowers form at all.
When does copper beech bloom and what do the flowers look like?
The copper beech begins its flowering period in April and lasts only a few weeks, with its inconspicuous, slightly reddish flowers appearing as the leaves emerge. However, flowering is often not to be expected from copper beech hedges, as regular pruning removes the later inflorescences.
Flowering time begins when the leaves emerge
When the copper beech leaves turn in spring, the small, very inconspicuous flowers also appear. The flowering period begins in April and lasts only a few weeks.
The flowers are very small and tapered at the end. They have a slightly reddish color.
In autumn, in September and October, the fruits ripen from the fertilized flowers. They consist of a spiky shell that encloses two to a maximum of four beechnuts.
Tip
If you plant copper beech trees as a hedge, the trees will usually not bloom at all. Regular pruning removes almost all of the later inflorescences. You cannot therefore harvest seeds for propagation from a copper beech hedge.
