Also known as European beech or purple beech, the copper beech is a large shade tree known for its beautiful burgundy foliage that turns a lovely shade of copper in fall. The copper beech grows quickly when planted in moist, well-drained soil and full sun, reaching a mature height of 60 to 80 feet and width of 40 to 60 feet. Trees planted in more exposed conditions, especially in windy sites, tend to be slightly smaller.