Instant Purple Beech Hedging & Troughs

• Sold as: 1m instant hedge troughs, 125/150cm; 10L potted, 150/175cm
• Plants per metre: Supplied pre-planted at hedge density — simply position troughs end to end
• Ultimate hedge height: Kept at 1–5m with clipping (a tree to 25–30m unclipped)
• Growth rate: 30–60cm a year once planted out — identical to green beech
• Evergreen or deciduous: Deciduous — but clip it in summer and it holds coppery-purple leaves right through winter
• UK native: The species is native; the purple-leaved forms are seed-raised garden selections of it
• Thorny: No. Leaves and mast can upset dogs if eaten in quantity
• Best soil and site: Lighter, free-draining soil and full sun once planted out — both health and leaf colour depend on it
• RHS Award of Garden Merit: Yes — 1993, hardiness rating H6 (held by the Atropurpurea Group)
• Wildlife value: Once established, mast feeds birds and small mammals in irregular "mast years"
• Delivered: Year-round. The trough is outside our standard 12-month guarantee; potted plants are covered only if delivered dormant in winter — check our guarantee terms for full detail. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Instant purple beech hedge troughs give you a ready-made section of copper-leaved hedge to plant straight into the ground — established plants grown together in a trough rather than young bareroot whips waiting years to knit together. The colour runs a full season of its own: red on emergence, deepening to purple through summer, copper into autumn, held through winter once clipped.

Instant Copper Beech: A Ready-Made Trough, Not a Container to Keep

The trough is a growing aid, not a permanent home — plant the whole thing directly into well-prepared, weed-free soil and water thoroughly so moisture reaches the dense root mass inside. Once planted out, it behaves exactly as any copper beech hedge: full sun for the strongest purple colour, a single late-summer clip with secateurs, and the dead coppery leaves held on the branch through winter courtesy of marcescence.

New leaves often open green or pink rather than purple, darkening as the season goes on — this is entirely normal and not a sign the wrong plant has arrived.

Why Choose a Trough Over Bareroot Copper Beech?

A trough buys speed: an instant, established hedge section rather than several years of bareroot growth. It suits a new-build garden needing immediate structure, or a boundary that's been bare through a season. Where budget matters more than immediacy, our standard bareroot copper beech hedging reaches the same result, guaranteed, for considerably less.

Planting Companions

Pair purple beech troughs with green beech troughs for an instant tapestry hedge — both grow at exactly the same rate, so the two knit together as one line rather than two competing hedges. On heavier or wetter ground, hornbeam is the sounder long-term alternative. As a rich purple backdrop, it suits silver-leaved and brightly coloured planting from our perennial plant range. Browse the rest of the beech hedging range.

Why Buy Your Hedging from Us?

We're one of the UK's largest sellers of bareroot and instant hedging, grown under contract by specialist UK growers to our own specification. Established 1949, with Which? Gardening Best Plant Supplier recognition. Our full beech range runs from young bareroot whips to this ready-made instant option.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I plant an instant hedge trough?

Plant the whole trough directly into well-prepared, weed-free soil at the depth it was growing in the trough, then water thoroughly. Line troughs up end to end for a continuous hedge.

Is the trough covered by the 12-month guarantee?

No — instant hedge troughs sit outside the standard guarantee. Potted copper beech is covered only if delivered dormant, in winter; the trough itself is excluded either way.

Why is my new copper beech trough showing green or pink leaves, not purple?

That's normal — new leaves open green or pink and deepen to purple as the season progresses. Full sun brings out the strongest, truest colour.

What's the difference between the trough and bareroot copper beech?

The trough gives an established, ready-made hedge section immediately, at a premium and without the guarantee. Bareroot copper beech is cheaper and guaranteed, but takes several seasons to thicken into a full screen.

Can I mix purple and green beech troughs in one run?

Yes — the classic tapestry hedge, and just as effective bought as instant troughs as it is grown from bareroot, since both colours grow at the same rate.

Will copper beech troughs hold their leaves in winter?

Yes — once planted out and clipped in late summer, troughed copper beech behaves exactly like any copper beech hedge and holds its coppery-purple leaves through winter.