American Beech (Fagus)

Special Segments Butterflies of North America Conifers of North America Eastern Birds List of N.A. Insects Home Eastern Wildflowers General Topics Natural History Ecology Family Environment Evolution Home Education Home Conservation Geophysics Paleontology Commercial Organizations

American Beech is one of the most stately trees of the Eastern Deciduous Forest. The tree has a smooth, light gray bark separating it from almost all other trees of the Eastern Deciduous Forest. The American Beech is found throughout the Eastern Deciduous Forest but is most common and dominant in the northern half of the biome. In New York and Pennsylvania it is one of the dominant components of the forest and gives its name to the forest, Beech-Hemlock-Maple forest.

The leaves are elongate and ovate with toothed margins. They have a distinctive papery look and feel about them. The nuts (beech nuts) are contained in a spiny other husk that opens at maturity. There are triangular nuts within each husk. Curiously you rarely see nuts in the wild. The mature tree grows to 100 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet in diameter. The root system is wide-spreading, but very shallow.

American Beech does best on moist, rich soils and it has a definite preference for cooler temperatures. American Beech is the only species of Fagus in North America, although other species are found in the Old World.