1792 (Dicksons & Co., Edinburgh) 68 Fagus..purpurea... Purple beech tree.
1906 33 81 Not infrequently in the purple beech the young leaves will be of a distinct purplish-red color and almost entirely free from chlorophyl.
2005 (Nexis) 5 Aug. e7/1 I love purple beech for its aubergine leaves, which turn bronze in late summer.