Weeping beech measure in length. Flowers appear in the spring and are inconspicuous. The beechnuts sit in a thin spiny husk and are less than 5 cm in diameter. The triangular beech nuts are popular in autumn with birds, mice and squirrels. The green leaves become copper-toned in the fall. In winter the skeleton of the silvery stem with its branches remains attractive. The purple pigment in the leaves acts like a sunscreen to protect its new leaves, which is particularly important for plants that grow at high altitudes where the sun is fierce. The tree is not native to North America
Beech blight aphid die, but damage to the tree is usually minor. The aphids can be blasted off with a jet of water or can be controlled with any insecticides labeled for aphids. A wetting agent should be included to help penetrate the waxy body covering of the insect. Horticultural oil sprays and insecticidal soap have also been used successfully. Several parasites are known to attack this aphid and it is thought that they will in time be effective in reducing the population numbers of aphids. Beech blight aphid The beech blight aphid (Grylloprociphilus imbricator) is a small insect in the order Hemiptera