European Beech
Arbor Walk #14, Treekeeper ID #1691
This beautiful non-native tree is adaptable to the Midwest. It has golden bronze leaves in the fall and its bark has a gray, elephant-hide appearance.
Being the most common ornamental Beech tree, the European Beech develops a wide, dense canopy and can grow up to 60 feet, providing ample shade in the spring and summer months. Its wood is reddish and very hard, so it is often used for firewood as well as the building of cabinetry and other furniture. However, its bark is extremely thin, and is easily scarred, making this tree a favorite to carve graffiti and initials into.
| Common Name | European Beech |
|---|---|
| Latin Name | Fagus sylvatica |
| Indigenous Name(s) | |
| Cultivar/Variety | |
| Commercial Name |
Global Distribution
GPS Coordinates
N/A
Percent Concrete
N/A
Distance to Buildings
| Year | Close Building #1 | Close Building #2 | Close Building #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dunker Hall, 13.99 m | Sever Hall, 18.42 m | Eads Hall, 39.78 m |
Distance to Other Species
| Year | Close Species #1 | Close Species # 2 | Close Species # 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Ginkgo, 11.65 m | Ginkgo, 13.52 m | Elm, 12.86 m |
Standard Measurements
| Year | Height (m) | DBH (cm) | Caliper (m) | Crown Diameter N-S (m) | Crown Diameter E-W (m) | Average Crown Diameter (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 8.4286 | 17.1 | N/A | 7.05 | 6.98 | 7.015 |
| 2023 | 5.1 | 34/68 | N/A | 8.03 | 7.29 | 7.66 |
| 2024 | 11.7 | * | N/A | 8.57 | 8.82 | 8.695 |
Nests and Pests
| Year | Description |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Beech Bark Disease Thick, cotton-like masses of webbing/fungus are visible on the edge of an old pruning scar, under an uplifted piece of bark, and on top of some bark Light algae and small patches of grey lichen on trunk 1 possible canker |
Leaf Identification
The leaves of the European Beech are 2″ to 5″ long with undulate (wavy) margins and noticeable reddish-purple leaf veins. They are dark green and shiny, and turn golden brown in the fall.
Twig and Bud Identification
The twig is zig zag and turns from brown to light gray as it matures. The bud is elongated and has numerous brown scales on it that sharpen to a point. The European Beech does have a terminal bud.
Bark Identification
The European Beech has thin, gray bark with an elephant-hide appearance.
Fruit Identification
[The fruit of the European beech is a beechnut, which is edible. The beechnuts are triangular pyramidal, and are covered in bracts (modified leaf structures) that form a spiny shell. The nuts will grow ripe in fall but are not dehiscent (this means they do not open up and drop the nut when ripe).
Flower Identification
The European beech is monoecious (plants either produce male or female flowers). The male flowers are yellow catkins (long hanging pollen-containing clusters). The female flowers have thin red tendrils and are very small, without showy petals or separate inflorescences. The flowers bloom in mid-spring.
ID Tips
- Compared to the American Beech, the European Beech is smaller and has the uniquely wavy margins on its leaves.
