American Beech
Fagus grandifolia
Identification
- deciduous tree, up to 115 ft. tall
- smooth, gray bark
- leaves are shiny, bright green, toothed, 11-14 veins
- produces a mast of triangular nuts which have spiny, woody shells
- easy winter twig identification – alternate buds gives twigs a zigzag appearance, buds are long and light brown
Location
- found in Eastern North America
- tolerates shade
- found in mixed stands with species such as sugar maple, yellow birch and hemlock; sometimes found in pure stands
Disease Issues
- many beech suffer from beech bark disease
- caused by the beech scale insect, Cryptococcus fagisuga, which feeds on the beech bark creating a tiny wound in the bark
- this wound allows the tree to become infected by two Nectria fungi
- this disease causes the trunk of the tree to become very deformed and eventually kills the tree
Cool Facts
- the nuts of the beech trees are a favorite food of many animals from birds to many mammals such as squirrels and chipmunks
- the passenger pigeon primarily fed on the beech nut and clearing of beech and oak forest contributed to its extinction