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Trees

Fagus sylvatica 'Miltonensis'

beech 'Miltonensis'

A large deciduous tree reaching 30 tall and possibly wider still, due to the drooping habit of its horizontal branches. It has bright green leaves which become dark yellow-orange in autumn. Its bark, unusually, is a more rugged, dark grey

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Ultimate height

8–12 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

Wider than 8 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Fagaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Pendulous weeping, Spreading branched
Potentially harmful: Pets (dogs): Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Fagus are large deciduous trees with smooth grey bark, ovate leaves colouring well in autumn, and inconspicuous flowers followed by usually spiny fruits
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any free-draining soil in full sun. Dislikes a dry atmosphere. For more advice see Beech cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by grafting

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural

Pruning

Pruning group 1

Pests

May be susceptible to bark stripping by deer and rabbits when young, beech scale and beech red spider mite

Diseases

May be susceptible to fungi that cause beech heart rots and honey fungus

Get involved

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