American Beech

Fagus grandifolia 

Size: 3 & 7 Gallon Availability 

Tree
Max Size: 100′ tall x 40′ wide
Average Size: 60′ tall x 40′ wide

Usually Moist, Moist to Dry, Very Dry
Clay, Loam, Sand
Full Sun, Part Shade, Full Shade
No Salt Tolerance

AKA: Ridge Beech, Beechnut Tree

This deciduous tree gets yellow or orange fall color. Despite being deciduous, it keeps its brown leaves all winter. The grey bark also offers winter interest. Its fruits ripen in the fall, and the nut is edible. It can sometimes colonize, so suckers may need to be cleared out. It is a slow-growing tree, and will eventually make a dense shade canopy. It is a valued nesting site for songbirds, and small mammals eat the nuts. It is the larval host for walnut sphinx (Amorpha juglandis).

The nuts are sweet, and can be crushed, boiled, and then drunk for nourishment. They can also be used to make oil. The wood is prized, but has been over-harvested, so we recommend only using foraged wood from broken or dropped limbs for wood projects.