Red Oleander for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by Mary Van Keuren | Gardener (30+ Years Experience) – last update on May 12, 2022

Planting instructions

Site your tree where it will receive full sun, in soil that drains well. Note that it can grow to 25 feet tall, and thus you should avoid placing it under overhead wires. Unpot your sapling, teasing out any encircling roots, which can girdle the tree and slowly kill it. Dig a hole that’s as deep as the root ball and twice as wide. Throw in a few handfuls of well-rotted compost or manure and place the sapling on top of it. Holding it steady and upright, fill in around your tree with topsoil, tamping down as you go to eliminate air pockets. Water thoroughly. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of an organic mulch, such as bark chips, to help conserve water.

Watering and nutrients

When it is newly planted, water your beech tree a few times a week. When you see robust new growth starting, you can taper back to a once-a-week watering for the rest of the first year. Once the tree is established, it should only need supplemental watering when you are experiencing a heat wave or extreme drought. Fertilize your tree lightly in spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer designed for landscape plantings.

Pollination

Weeping beech trees have tiny yellow flowers in late spring and are pollinated by the wind. They are monoecious, meaning that male and female reproductive parts are on the same tree. Fertilized flowers lead to small spiked burrs that contain seeds, which are beloved by birds and small animals.

Pruning

Other than monitoring your tree for broken, diseased, or damaged limbs, which should be pruned out when you see them, there is no need to prune your Purple Fountain weeping beech tree.

Pests, diseases, and animals

Purple Fountain weeping beech trees are robust trees with few natural enemies. Insects that may be seen on them include aphids, Japanese beetles, and beech scale insects. A healthy tree should be able to fend off minor infestations. A severe infestation may require the application of insecticides. Diseases of the beech include coral spot and root rot. Avoid overwatering and clear up debris around the tree to avoid fungal issues.

Achieving maximum results

There are countless ways to utilize the effortless beauty of Purple Fountain weeping beech in your garden. Its asymmetrical silhouette makes it a great choice for a Japanese-inspired garden, for example. It can serve as a privacy screen or informal, loose hedge, and it has the presence to be able to stand on its own as a specimen tree and focal point for all but the most formal gardens. Or consider an arrangement that includes a weeping beech fronted by some shorter lilacs or weigela.

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