Illustration
European Beech
Fagus sylvatica
Also called common beech
European Beech blooms from April through May.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing European Beech
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–7. Expect it to reach about 55 ft tall and 40 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 12 years (a house reading).
Is European Beech toxic to dogs or cats?
- Listed as toxic to dogs by NC State Extension, Pet Poison Helpline and Royal Horticultural Society.
- Listed as toxic to cats by Pet Poison Helpline.
- Listed as poisonous to people by NC State Extension.
Lists differ and none is complete. If a pet eats a plant and seems unwell, call a veterinarian or a pet poison helpline.
What was checked
Nine facts were checked against named botanical sources, each recorded beside the sources that carried it: mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color, the trait tags, and years to mature size, which rests on a recorded house rule where no publisher states one and is marked so. Soil, diseases, pests, toxicity and the plant's own names have not yet been read for this plant, and its trait tags are the ones a feature uses rather than every word a page prints. Each fact above carries its own mark. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant European Beech
Plant European Beech in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. In zone 5, the middle of its hardy zones 4 to 7, spring means April to June and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from April to May.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 5, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 5 in April. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does European Beech get?
55 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult40 ftwideSee European Beech in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant European Beech
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Give European Beech about 40 ft of clear ground in every direction, measured from its center. It is one plant with room around it, not a row, and a raised bed is too small for it.
Add European Beech to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
European Beech's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color and trait tags were checked against 9 published sources on October 19, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical Gardenheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, water, bloom months and color and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionGardener Plant Toolboxheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, bloom months and color and trait tags
- The Morton Arboretumheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun, water and trait tags
- shop.arborday.orgArbor Day Foundation Tree Nurseryheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and water
- woodyplants.cals.cornell.eduCornell University Woody Plants Databaseheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and water
- Chicago Botanic Gardenhardiness zones, water and bloom months and color
- nwmissouri.eduNorthwest Missouri State University, Missouri Arboretumheight, spread and hardiness zones
- RHSRoyal Horticultural Societyheight and bloom months and color
- University of Illinois Extensionheight, hardiness zones and water
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
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