Fagus grandifolia
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- FAG-us gran-dih-FOH-lee-uh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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The Fagus grandifolia, commonly called American beech, is native to eastern North America. It is a large deciduous tree typically growing to 60-80’ (less frequently to 120’) tall with a dense, upright-oval to rounded-spreading crown. It is a low-branched tree with its mature trunk ranging from 2-3’ (less frequently 4’) in diameter. This tree is slightly salt tolerant. Due to the shallow roots, it is difficult to grow plants under the American beech tree.
Fire Risk: This plant has a medium flammability rating.
Seasons of Interest:
Leaves: Fall Bloom: Spring Fruit/Seed/Nut: Fall
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Beech scale is an occasional problem on this tree.
Quick ID Hints:
- Leaves coarsely serrate, bristles at margin
- Prickly brownish fruit; seeds trigonous
- Parallel veins pierce margin
- midrib and vein axils may have hairs on underside
- Awl shaped bud
Deciduous tree usually 50-70' tall, can grow to 100-120', can be as wide as tall. Beautiful tree in a large area, not recommended for smaller landscapes - difficult to grow other plants or lawn underneath. Fall color is golden bronze and leaves often last into winter. Relatively slow growth rate. Prefers moist, well-drained, acid soil, intolerant of wet or compacted soil, prefers sun but will tolerate shade.
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Fagus
- Species:
- grandifolia
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Shade tree. This tree was used by Native Americans for building materials, medicine, and food.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Canada to Central Mexico
- Distribution:
- ME to FL west to TX, OK, MI, IL, MI, and MN east through midwest
- Fire Risk Rating:
- medium flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- The nuts are eaten by small mammals, white-tailed deer, black bears, foxes, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, ducks, woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatches, American crows and blue jays.
- Play Value:
- Screening
- Shade
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wind Break
- Edibility:
- Nutmeats, in small quantities, edible raw or cooked.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Tree
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Erect
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- Usda Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Nut
- Fruit Description:
- Nuts are irregularly triangular, shiny brown and edible. 3/4" long, globose and orange, with recurved prickles, housing a 3 winged nut. Season for fruit is October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Monoecious yellowish green flowers bloom in early spring on the American beech. It's male flowers form in drooping, long-stemmed, globular clusters and the female flowers in short spikes. Female flowers give way to triangular nuts enclosed by spiny bracts. Beechnuts ripen in fall and are edible.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate simple elliptical to oblong-ovate 2.5-5.5 inch long pinnately-veined leaf. Simple, alternate, ovate-oblong, 2-5" long, half as wide, acuminate tip, coarsely serrate, dark green and glossy above, lighter green below, sometimes tomentose along the midrib and in vein axils on underside. Parallel veins pierce the margin; little bristles on the margin.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Trunks have distinctive thin, smooth, gray bark.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Somewhat zig-zag, grayish, shiny. Awl-shaped, imbricate, 3/4-1" long and slender, shiny, pointy.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Salt
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
