Green Beech Grown as a Tree A well known, stately tree that is found throughout old estates and woodlands across Ireland. Fagus sylvatica, better known as Green Beech, is ultimately a very large deciduous tree with a dense broad head. Wavy-edged leaves emerge pale green and silky, maturing to glossy dark green. Fairly insignificant yellow-green flowers, the males as small catkins, female flowers develop to produce beechnuts. Attractive smooth grey bark. Makes excellent timber for carpentry and firewood. Grown as Hedging May be kept trimmed as an excellent hedge with green foliage throughout the Summer, pruning beech causes it to retain its golden brown autumn leaves through Winter, making it almost as good as an evergreen hedge for privacy and shelter. A Beech hedge can be kept as low or as tall as suits and it can also tolerate pruning into a very narrow hedge where space is at a premium. Site: Requires some shelterSoil: Any well-drained soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeSeason of Interest: Fresh foliage in Spring, brown leaves on hedges in WinterHardiness: HardyHeight: 80-115ft (25-35m) Spread: 40ft (12m) if unprunedHedging Spacings: 1ft (30cm) for hedges up to 4ft. Space 18in to 2ft (45-60cm) apart for hedges 4ft+