Tree of the Month: American Beech

The American Beech Tree

In residential yards and the countryside alike, one of the most common and easily spotted trees in Tennessee is the American beech (Fagus grandifolia). The beech tree reaches across eastern North America, from the southern states to southeastern Canada. One of the main nut producers in hardwood forests, beech trees are in the same family as oaks and chestnuts, but the beech’s unique smooth bark and burr-like seed shells, along with its habit of holding on to its leaves throughout the winter, make this tree easily distinguishable.

With its love for loamy to moist, slightly acidic soil, beech trees are an excellent choice for Nashville residents. Here, we’ll take a look at why they’re such important trees to have in our local canopy.

Identifying an American Beech Tree

Beech trees are among the most easily identifiable, with their characteristic silvery, smooth bark. For this reason, they’ve been a historical target for people to carve their initials into. Their smooth, thin, and light-colored bark stands out in contrast to neighboring trees (usually sugar maples or white pines) whose bark is darker, cracked, and ridged. 

American beech leaves are also distinctive. The simple, oval leaves come to a point at the end, and the vein pattern gives it away as a beech—straight, horizontal veins run perpendicular to an equally straight center vein, and each leaf has evenly serrated edges. They’re about as long as they are wide, and in the fall, the leaves turn from a bright green to a golden yellow. A beech tree, particularly a young one, will hold on to its leaves over the winter, as they crisp and fade to a light brown or tan.

Some trees, including beeches, hold on to their leaves over the winter even though the tree goes dormant in the fall in a process called marcescence. The brittle, dead leaves rustle in the wind and create a unique sound in the otherwise tranquil environment, adding some interest to a cool-season landscape. In the early spring, beeches drop their leaves and reveal new leaf buds, which are characteristic of the tree. Reddish brown, long, and pointy, a beech’s bud resembles a spearhead. A beech tree flowers in April, when its pollen is a source of nutrition for local pollinators like bees, butterflies, and moths.

A beech will grow into a medium-large mature specimen, reaching an average of 50 to 70 feet in height. This tree is a slow grower and will live a very long time when kept in healthy condition. The tree itself has a rather characteristic form as well—it tends to keep its lower branches for much of its life, which will droop downwards, while the upper branches will rise upwards toward the sky. 

How Fast Do American Beech Trees Grow?

The American beech is a slow-growing tree with a long lifetime, but when a beech is cut down or dies, its roots will quickly put up new growth all around the site of the old tree, resulting in thicket-like growth. This resilient species is known as a good coppice tree, one that is cut back to promote new growth of shoots (for firewood, in particular). 

Beeches in the Local Ecosystem

As a common native tree, the beech plays a significant role in the local ecosystem. Beech trees are shade tolerant, and as slow growers, a beech will remain an understory tree in a forest until the tallest, most mature trees die and create the space for a beech to grow into. Their longevity also contributes to the stability of the local wildlife. 

One of the major nut producers, beech trees are a food source for a variety of animals, including squirrels, ducks, wild turkeys, and deer. The spiny shells shouldn’t deter you from tasting one yourself; in small amounts, beech nuts are safe for humans to roast and eat (they taste like pine nuts!).

What Does the American Beech Tree Symbolize?

Beech trees have symbolized knowledge for a long time: the word “beech” is believed to be the source word for book, since beech bark provided material to write on. It may also be due to the fact that words can be carved legibly into the smooth trunk of a standing beech.

Beech Trees in Nashville

As one of the most important trees in Tennessee’s wooded ecosystem, planting and maintaining beeches in our yards and parks helps keep Nashville’s neighborhoods healthy and livable, where residents will benefit from the many advantages of having these trees around. The dense foliage provides lots of cooling shade and air-filtering services, while the sturdy longevity allows the tree to provide its effects for decades on end.

If you’re shopping for a tree this year, consider purchasing an American beech from our tree sale! The Nashville Tree Conservation Corps’ mission is to support the city’s canopy by providing trees and information to homeowners. If you don’t have a place to plant a tree, don’t worry! You can volunteer with us to further the mission of keeping Nashville endowed with a healthy native tree ecosystem. 

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