The morphogenetic bud cycle of Fagus sylvatica L. causes differences in the development of meristems and leaf primordia of buds. In addition buds taken from different positions at the tree may differ in degree of juvenility. In order to determine the regeneration capacity of winter buds from trees of an age of more than 100 years we compared the viability and the elongation growth of shoot tips from epicormic shoots, root sprouts, stump sprouts and from buds taken from three positions of the tree crown. The regeneration capacity of the latter was significantly smaller than from shoot tips of epicormic shoots, root and stump sprouts. Formatin of axillary shoots was observed on a modified GD-medium (Gresshoff & Doy, 1972) supplemented with 0.2 ppm benzyladenine. Shoot tip cultures wee subcultured monthly and were maintained for a period of eight months.
