American Beech

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Tree ID: 
174
Family: 
Fagaceae (Beech Family)
Genus and species: 
Fagus grandifolia
Description: 
The American Beech tree is a medium sided tree that is native to eastern parts of North America. It produces beechnuts, which are eaten by squirrels, deer, and birds. When it grows, it has a large, sprawling canopy of green leaves. In the winter, it retains many of its leaves, now a curly, brown shell of their former selves, as seen in the pictures from the winter. Soon, the male reproductive flowers, called catkins, will bloom and fertilize the female flowers to produce beechnuts. American Beech trees are monoecious, meaning they have male and female flowers on the same tree.
Surveyors: 
Timmy Ward and Sohum Kapadia
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Area: 
Prospect and Sachem
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Leaflet | OSM Mapnik
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Tree shape: 
Round
Date of tree entry: 
02/05/2025
Height: 
4.82 m
Diameter at breast height: 
0.10 m

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Bark of the American Beech tree
The bark of the American Beech is smooth and thin with cracks. It has more cracks where the branches meet the trunk and towards the base of the tree.
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Twigs of the American Beech tree in winter
Branching pattern of the American Beech tree
The branches of the American Beech are wide-spreading and grow horizontally in all directions. The twigs have a smooth texture. The leaf buds are long, pointy, and alternate sides, representing where the leaves grow. The twigs and buds are especially visible on the outer parts of the tree due to loss of leaves.
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American Beech leaf in winter
American Beech leaf in summer
The leaves of the American Beech are ovate with serrated margins. The leaves have a pinnate venation structure, as evidenced by the prominent central vein. The leaves often stay on the tree in the winter and have a brown color. In the summer, the leaves are green. The tree has an alternate arrangement of leaves. The outermost leaves on the tree are more likely to be lost in the winter than inner leaves.
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Male reproductive structure on American Beech
The male reproductive structures on the American Beech are called catkins. They are male flowers that hang down from the branches of the tree and bloom in May. These flowers release pollen to fertilize the female egg. Importantly, the reproductive structure of the American Beech is monoecious, meaning that both the male and female reproductive organs are found on the same tree. The female flowers are smaller, consisting of the egg-producing pistil and surrounding leaves. They also bloom in May and are located closer to branch tips for more protection. These are the flowers that develop into beechnuts, giving the Beech tree its name.
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Beechnut from American Beech tree
The beechnut is the fruit of the American Beech tree. They are triangular nuts with a spiny husk that are eaten by squirrels, deer, and birds.
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  • Winter
  • Early Spring (April)
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Natural range of distribution: 
Habitat: 
The American Beech is found throughout much of the eastern part of North America, from Canada and Maine down to Georgia and Louisiana and up to Michigan. The American Beech prefers
Origin, history, and uses: 

The American Beech has been used in woodworking, furniture, and fuel, and beechnuts have been used for food. In woodworking, the beech tree wood is hard and strong and is used for flooring and tool handles. In furniture, beech wood is used for chairs, tables, and cabinets. Beech wood also has uses as firewood and charcoal. Throughout history, some parts of the tree have been used as folk medicine to treat skin irritations, especially in indigenous populations.

Phenology: 
The buds of the American Beech break in early spring and stems begin to elongate. The tree flowers in late April or early May. Throughout the summer and into autumn, leaves develop and beechnuts form after pollination. In the autumn, leaves turn yellow and some fall off, but many stay on. In the winter, the leaves turn brown.
References: 

Stephanson, Christopher & Coe, Natalie. (2017). Impacts of Beech Bark Disease and Climate Change on American Beech. Forests. 8. 10.3390/f8050155.

http://www.rnr.lsu.edu/plantid/species/ambeech/ambeech.htm

https://www.motherearthgardener.com/plant-profiles/family-foraging-beech…

https://shop.arborday.org/treeguide/170?srsltid=AfmBOoqO_5vlJD-GEtP_gaIv…

https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/american-beech/

https://wildadirondacks.org/trees-of-the-adirondacks-american-beech-fagu….

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An Ode to the American Beech
By: Sohum Kapadia and Timmy Ward
 
On a hill on Science Hill, 
The beech stands, looking chill, 
Bark smooth, but more than one crack, 
The American wonders: when will the leaves come back? 
 
The leaves, usually ovate and green, 
Are mostly fallen, making the tree look lean,
With serrated edges, alternately set,
They whisper dreams of what comes next. 
 
The twigs, brown and slender, 
Yearn for summers where they are splendor,
They twist gently in the moonlit night, 
Awaiting for the time they are no longer light. 
 
The male flowers, also known as catkins, 
Are still absent; maybe they did some sins?
The female flowers, invisible or small,
Will soon become the beechnut available for all. 
 
The beechnuts will grow,

Encased in husks that also glow, 
Shaped like triangles, they hide inside, 

Until the fall, when they soon die.
 
Now, however, the tree is wide,

It’s arms open to birds that might come by,

With roots so deep, and branches free,

The beech stands proud, for all to see.