Purple (Handsome foliage emerges a deep purple in the spring, but eventually fades to a deep green by the end of the summer); Bronze (Golden-bronze fall foliage that persists into winter)

Fruit Notes:

Brown (Three winged nut is edible, ripen in the fall)

Ultimate Height:

60-80 feet

Ultimate Spread:

40-50 feet

Bloom Times:

Light Requirements:

Soil Notes:

Prefers acidic soil, some soil moisture and good drainage to perform best; does not tolerate wet and clay soils

Maintenance:

Low 264

Diagnostic Characteristics:

Leaves simple, alternate, 2-4" long, entire, undulate, acute apex, emerge deep reddish-purple (paler beneath), generally fade to a deep bronzy purple-green by end of summer, glabrous at maturity, silky when young. Petioles can be downy. Buds are long, slender, and pointed with many scales. Fruit is 3-sided nut in prickly husks that ripen in October. Smooth, gray bark that appears wrinkled in some areas, resembling an elephant's hide.

Ecological Functions:

Special Characteristics:

Additional Information

In a proper site, an excellent trouble-free shade tree with year-round interest. More adaptable to hot, dry conditions than our native F. grandifolia, but somewhat less hardy. F. grandifolia is preferred in Zone 4. Like F. grandifolia, this tree is so shallow rooted and casts such heavy shade that grass does not grow well beneath it. Low branching habit is a concern for use in the tree lawn as a street tree (may require more pruning than other street trees). The cultivar 'Purpurea' has attractive foliage that emerges deep red-purple, although it generally fades to a bronzy purple-green by the end of the summer.