EUROPEA:. BEECH (Fagus sylvatica, Linn.). An important timber tree of Europe, extensively planted in the Eastern States, where it attains great size. Distinguished from the American beech by the dark color of its bark.
The Purple Beech is a variety with purple foliage. Weeping and cut-leaved varieties are very popular as dooryard trees. All are horticultural forms of the Old World beech.