Simpson, Benny
Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.
American beech
Fagaceae (Beech Family)
American beech is a sturdy, imposing
tree, 50-80 ft. tall, with a maximum height of 120 ft. Its
bark is very smooth and light gray, remaining so as the
tree ages. Large
tree with rounded crown of many long, spreading and horizontal branches, producing edible beechnuts. Branches spread horizontally to form a rounded top and dense growth. Dark-green, glossy, prominently veined leaves turn copper-colored in the fall and hold on most of the winter. Beechnuts are among the most important of wildlife food.
American Beech was recognized by the colonists, who already knew the famous, closely related European Beech. American Beech is a handsome shade
tree and bears similar edible beechnuts, which are consumed in quantities by wildlife, especially squirrels, raccoons, bears, other mammals, and game birds. Unlike most trees, beeches retain smooth
bark in age. The trunks are favorites for carving and preserve initials and dates indefinitely.
Image Gallery:
10 photo(s) available
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial Habit: Tree Leaf Complexity: Simple Breeding System: Flowers
Unisexual ,
Monoecious Leaf: Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Flower:
Fruit: Red, Brown
Size Class: 72-100 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: Yellow , Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Apr , May
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , CT , DE , FL , GA , IL , IN , KY , LA , ME , MD , MA , MI , MS , MO , NH , NJ , NY , NC , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , UT , VT , VA , WV , WI , DC
Canada: NB ,
NS ,
ON ,
PE ,
QC Native Distribution: FL to e. TX, n. to s.e. MA, s. OH, s. IL, IN & MO
Native Habitat: Moist or wet, lowland sites
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N) Growing Conditions
Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Moist, rich, well-drained soils. Sandy Loam, Clay Loam, Medium Loam, Acid-based
Conditions Comments: Beech develops suckers from its vast system of surface roots.
Entire beech groves have often grown from the roots of a single tree. Shade tolerant. Long-lived. Not suitable for small areas. Resistant to many pests and diseases, though a
bark fungus disease has proven fatal. Prune in summer or early fall. Root system is shallow, so it is difficult to grow grasses under beech. Beech is highly phototropic, meaning it leans markedly toward the strongest light. Extremely susceptible to root zone disturbance and drought.
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Attractive, Shade
tree, Fall conspicuous
Use Wildlife: Beech nuts are eaten by many forms of wildlife. Nesting site, Fruit-birds, Fruit-mammals, Fruit-rodents, Fruit-deer, Cover, Browse. It was the
tree most associated with the extinct Passenger Pigeon, which fed on its nuts and roosted in its branches.
Use Food: EDIBLE PARTS: Nutmeats, in small quantities, edible raw or cooked. Young leaves can be cooked for greens in the spring (Poisonous Plants of N.C.). Early settlers gathered many beech nuts to extract the oil, which is similar to olive oil and was used as both food and lamp oil. (Kershaw).
Use Other: The first page of European literature was probably written on Beech. It is said, the earliest Sanskrit characters were carved on strips of Beech bark. The custom of inscribing the temptingly smooth boles of Beeches came to Europe with the Indo-European people who entered the continent from Asia. (Peattie)
Warning: POISONOUS PARTS: Unripe, raw nuts (seeds). Low toxicity if eaten.
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Early Hairstreak (Erora laeta )
Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
Fagus grandifolia is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Last Update: 2009-03-06
