Green Beech Hedge Plants (Fagus sylvatica)

Green Beech hedge plants or Fagus sylvatica are one of the most popular types of hedging plant in the UK. The wavy-edged mid-green leaves emerge in late spring and become darker and deeper green as they age. During the Autumn months, the foliage softens to buttery yellow tones before turning to a coppery brown – these leaves are then retained during the winter making Green Beech one of the few deciduous hedging plants that offers year-round privacy.

Green Beech hedging will grow in any kind of soil type that does not become waterlogged during wet spells, as the plants must have sufficient drainage.

Beech is a versatile hedging plant: it can be maintained at any size from around as small as 60cm or so, right up to many metres high depending on your requirements. Both full sun or partial shade are suitable for Green Beech hedging, which is particularly popular for roadside planting where year-round privacy is desirable, as the brown winter foliage is unaffected by the salt spray often experienced in these environments where evergreens may be scorched.

You can expect established Green Beech hedge plants to have a moderate to fast growth rate from 30-60cm per year, although the rate of growth is likely to be much slower in the first year while the roots become established. When planting we always recommend adding a little bone meal and Rootgrow mycorrhizal fungi to give the young hedge a head start. You can find out more about planting new hedges in our useful guide to hedge planting.

Beech hedging can occasionally be affected by fungal attacks, which can attack the roots of the plant and can spread considerably unless it is maintained. Take a look at our guide to controlling Honey Fungus.

Our Range of Green Beech Hedging Plants

Hopes Grove Nurseries supply a range of different types of green beech hedging:

• Bare Root Green Beech hedge plants are the most economical way to buy a new hedge. As they are grown in the fields, we don’t need pots or compost and require very little fertiliser or water. Bare root Green beech hedge plants are a seasonal product that we lift from the fields when they are dormant in winter (November-April) and sent out to you fresh and ready for planting. They should be planted within a few days.

• Pot Grown Green Beech hedge plants are all grown here at the nursery under the watchful eye of our experienced staff and are available in an unrivalled range of sizes, selected from our growing beds and despatched out to you fresh. Pot grown Beech hedge plants have a number of advantages – because there is no root disturbance they may be planted all year round (they are always in season) and they will always establish quickly at any time of year. Often, they will ‘catch up’ bare rooted or root ball plants of a larger size.

• Root Ball Green Beech Hedging is grown in the soil of our fields for several years to make stronger and bushier plants and is lifted using specialist equipment. The soil around the roots is retained with hessian and this should be left when you plant them – it will rot away soon after planting. Root Ball Green Beech hedging is supplied when dormant in the winter months from October – April, which is the best time for planting, and are delivered to you on a pallet (they are too large and heavy for parcel carriers).

• Our Instant Green Beech Hedging plants are a great solution where time and maximum immediate impact are the most important considerations. We have a variety of options starting with the younger trough hedges that have been trimmed at the sides and represent good value for money as they bring significant impact at a lower cost. Larger and taller troughs will bring greater privacy from day one and are also great value for money as we grow them all here at the nursery.

All our Instant Green Beech hedging options are supplied in convenient 1-metre lengths.

If you have any questions or need advice on any of our Green Beech hedging plants, please get in touch to speak to a member of the team on 01580 765 600.