Introduction
What messages can be learned from the copper beech?
From my window, I could see a tree that in the spring dramatically sprouted a vivid eggplant colored leaf. What, I wondered, was this tree? The rich hue of the leaves was autumnal. It seemed somehow out of place in the vibrant green of spring. The shape of the leaves put me in mind of a North American oak tree. But this was clearly not an oak. This was the copper beech!
The copper beech seemed suddenly everywhere this spring. I noticed them in a way I simply never had before. I had heard of the copper beech. The copper beech was spoken of with a great deal of admiration and awe. But had I actually seen one? I could not picture it. Yes, they were everywhere this spring. But I did not know what I was looking at when I saw them. I certainly did not think they were a copper beech, given the deep purple shade of the leaves.
Discovering the copper beech
I was bemused. Why was it called the copper beech, with such purple leaves? In no way could I possibly see how the deep purple color could be considered copper. But then I learned that the leaves do indeed become copper in the autumn. They change from the striking purple to an even more striking copper color.
I became very intrigued about the copper beech and wanted to learn more about it. I could not immediately find one I could sit underneath. All of the copper beeches I could find were either locked away. They were behind fences and gates on private land or were on the borders of car parks. One was not accessible. The other was far from an ideal place to try to absorb the mystery and meaning of the copper beech.
So why did I feel this sudden surge of interest in the copper beech? What is it that it has to tell me? And why is it so hard to find in an accesible woods?
About the beech
The first question is an obvious one. How can I learn about the copper beech when I do not have access to one? The answer: while I continue to seek access, there are also other ways to learn about trees and the gift of their message. In learning about this before I visit the tree, I will have a much fuller understanding of its energy, historical and spiritual connections.
This is an entirely different experience than knowing little to nothing about the tree before going to spend time with it. But fortunately there is no lack of resources to turn to in order to learn about the copper beech. Indeed, there are plenty of resources to turn to to learn about all manner of trees. Here I am going to focus on one of my favourites: “Tree Wisdom,” by Jacqueline Memory Paterson.
She does not write specifically about the copper beech. But she offers a wealth of information about the offerings from the beech: “…when you feel drawn to the beech, your subconcious is telling you to look to the past, for your answer to the present will be found there. Beech is the book of the past.” (Memory Paterson: 219).
Pondering information
I ponder this information, thinking about why I might now be feeling drawn to the beech. But again, not just the beech in general, but the copper beech. So I continue to look for information more specific to that kind of beech tree.
But while a great deal of information abounds on the beech tree in general, there is surprisingly little about the purple beech. And this surprises me, given the absolute majesty of the tree with its distinctive deep purple leaves, with the copper color yet to come in the autumn.
Searching for Fagus Sylvatica Atropurpurea
Now the search for more information on the copper beech becomes a bit curious. What is in a name? Well, in the scientific name given to the copper beech “Fagus Sylvatica Atropurpurea” lies a few clues to history and meaning.
The Latin word “fagus”, according to the Irish Tree Explorers Network: ” is thought to derive from the Greek work ‘phago’, meaning ‘to eat’, while Sylvatica comes from the Latin ‘sylva’, which translates as ‘growing in the forest’. This links with the belief that beechnuts were a food source for prehistoric communities throughout Europe.”
The Irish Tree Explorers Network offers more information on the ancient origins of the beech: “European beech was once native to Ireland around 240,000 years ago. However, as it did not become re-established through natural processes after the last ice age, it is considered non-native. There is evidence to suggest that European beech was eventually re-introduced to Ireland by early farming communities during the Neolithic period (c. 4000-2500), and that they were using beechnuts to make swill for livestock.”
Thus, a search for information becomes something of a lesson in prehistory. I am fascinated by prehistory eras and find this enriching as I strive to learn the message of the copper beech. There has been a close association of humans and the beech tree through the ages.
The copper beech as a cultivar
In working to understand more about the purple beech tree, I learned a new word: cultivar. Simply put, this means a species of plant that has been created through deliberate human interaction with nature. There is intentional alteration of the plant found in nature. The purple beech is a cultivar. This is why it is difficult to find one growing wild. They have been created by human efforts, and so are found in places where they can serve an ornamental purpose. This is why it is difficult to find a purple beech “in the wild.” But does this mean that there is no spiritual or energetic resonance with the purple beech?
Of course not. Much of this turns on personal preference–not so much about the tree itself, but preferences about location. If someone is looking to connect with a tree in a wild or natural setting, finding the right place to do this with a purple beech may prove difficult. On the other hand, if someone is comfortable with a more domesticated setting, then connecting wiith the purple beech is do-able. The tree itself–cultivar or not–is still a beech. It has all of the energy, spiritual meaning and connection that any sort of beech tree offers.
Conclusion
Thus, it is not only the purple beech that has a close association with human society. Beech trees in general have that close association. And this observation offers food for thought. How closely the wild and natural can be associated with human community. Of mutually beneficial relationships between human society and trees. Indeed, of the human need for and dependency upon bountiful nature.
There are many locations in which to become EarthWise. Some of this can be done in natural wild locations. Some of this might just happen in a different setting where nature is carefully managed by human hands. Reaching out to the copper beech has meant I spent some time in a place seemingly less wild than the woods I love to explore. But in trying to understand the pull of this tree, and the message of the copper beech, I embarked on a deeper journey of learning and exploration. And this points out all of the different paths towards becoming EarthWise.