Fagus sylvatica - Hêtre / Beech

Well, it seems no one has anything to say about my hornbeam.

So here's a Fagus sylvatica I took from a river bankside in the "Massif Central" in the summer, in the late 1990s. It was probably no more than a year old at that time since the river would obviously rise in autumn and in spring.

I collected it and put it in a yogurt pot to bing it back home, then put it in a plastic pot the kind you buy thyme in supermarkets.

After a couple of years, I put it in a hedge (my best technique so far!) and "rediscovered" it in 2005. Alzheimer's silver lining of the cloud...

Jan. 2005:



Feb. 2005:



Jan. 2008:



Feb. 2008:



March 2008:





May 2008:



Apr. 2010:





Still has to be trimmed and wired, but it's beginning to ramify nicely. Any critics?...

Developing very nicely Alain.

Have you tried early bud plucking to improve ramification? I do this with Beech in development. Wait until the first shoot from the pointy buds start to "undroop" and then pinch or cut back to one or two leaves. This forces two growth spurts and increases chances of backbudding.

I will definitely do it, after removing the bigger end-of-the-branch buds.

Beech are not easy trees to grow where I live, usually a bit hot and dry in the summer, rather "continental". I miss the mountains of my childhood with a lot of snow in the winter and the song of the criquets in the hot summer months that were interrupted by mountains storms echoeing all around. and the smell of cows' dung in which we used to put crackers, and ask friends to have a look at it for a laugh.

Hi Alain.
Very nice development. Potential of the tree is really big.

Beech is very fond of high levels of substrate. To improve building the tree is almost a necessity. Stability of temperature and moisture in the substrate. I would recommend to start to get a bowl.

Pavel

Dobry wiechor Pavel,

Thanks for your input.

Using a rather deep container is what I did for a couple of years. Now that it is in a much shallower pot, the tree seems all right. Of course, last year was very wet and it liked it. But I feel now it's time for it to ramify so I don't think I will repot it this year, on the contrary, there is still enough soil for it to be healthy, but the growth won't be as strong as last year's.

I'm taking a bet that the climate this year won't be as hot and dry as some predict...

Hi Alain, Very nice Beech! I live in an area of Oregon reputed to have the same climate as the wine regions of France. Hot, dry summers grow good grapes, but are the bane of my Beech trees. In August the hot winds scorch the leaves. I'm going to try keeping them in the shade more this season. I had a look a your Hornbeam, also a very nice tree. Nice work on both.

Thanks for your comments RKatzin.

I don't know if leaf-trimming (as in the photo from May 2008) helps, that's what I do to help the buds closer to the trunk stay healthy, but it's true to keep beech green most years where I live too...