Fagus grandifolia
Common Name(s):
- American Beech
- Beech
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics
- See below
- Description
The Fagus grandifolia, commonly called American beech, is native to eastern North America. It is a large deciduous tree typically growing to 50-80’ (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.
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.
- Cultivars:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Fagus
- Species:
- grandifolia
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Shade tree
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- 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:
- Buffer
- Wildlife Enhancement
- Wind Screen
- Edibility:
- Nutmeats, in small quantities, edible raw or cooked.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 50 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)
- Full Sun (Direct sunlight 8+ hours a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight (2-4 hrs) for only part of the day
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- 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
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Nut
- Fruit Description:
- Nuts are irregularly triangular, shiny brown and edible.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Monoecious yellowish green flowers bloom in April-May 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 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
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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
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Riparian
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Edible
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Fire
- Salt
- Problems:
- Poisonous
- Similar plants:
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Fraxinus pennsylvanica
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Cornus florida
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Liquidambar styraciflua
