# Beech (*Fagus*) Beech trees are tall and strong with smooth gray bark. Their leaves are shiny and turn golden in the fall. Beech trees provide homes for birds and squirrels. - **Category:** [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/tree) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Fagus Beech ![Beech](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/394535806/medium.jpeg) Photo: Rebecca Gimenez Husted, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/394535806) ## Appearance The Beech is known for its strikingly smooth, pale grey bark that often remains uncracked even on old trees. It has distinctive cigar-shaped, pointed reddish-brown winter buds and oval, slightly wavy-edged leaves that turn a brilliant golden-bronze in autumn. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Fagales - **Family:** Fagaceae - **Genus:** Fagus ## Interesting facts - Ancient people sometimes ground beechnuts into flour to make bread, especially during lean times. - Beech trees communicate through their roots using a 'wood wide web' of fungi, sharing nutrients! - Look closely at the buds! Beech buds are famously long, narrow, and pointed, like tiny cigars. - The word 'book' comes from an old word for beech, as early writing tablets were made from its wood! ## Special abilities - **Smooth Guardian Bark:** Beech has uniquely smooth bark that makes it difficult for climbing plants to establish, helping it stay healthy and strong. - **Nutty Feast Maker:** Beech trees produce abundant, nutritious 'beechnuts' in mast years, providing a vital food source for many forest animals. - **Winter Leaf Protector:** Some Beeches keep their dry, brown leaves through winter (marcescence), possibly protecting new spring buds from frost. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-40 m - **Spread:** 10-20 m - **Edible:** Yes - **Size:** 50-150 cm - **Lifespan:** 150-300 years - **Fruit Type:** Nut - **Growth Rate:** Medium - **Leaf Type:** Deciduous ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Grey Squirrel (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — eats beechnuts - **Eats:** [Wild Boar](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wild-boar) (*Sus scrofa*) — forages for fallen beechnuts - **Symbiotic with:** Beech Milkcap (*Lactarius blennius*) — forms mycorrhizal associations with roots - **Eaten by:** [Red Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-deer) (*Cervus elaphus*) — browses on young leaves and shoots ## Traits - [Mycorrhizal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mycorrhizal): This trait describes a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and the roots of a plant, benefiting both organisms. - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Nut Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nut-bearing): Nut bearing plants produce hard-shelled fruits, commonly known as nuts, which contain a single seed and are a valuable food source. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. ## Collections - [Trees](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/trees) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy looking at beech trees from a safe distance and avoid climbing them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Beech? Compare leaves or needles, how they attach to the twig, buds, bark and the shape of the crown. Lobed leaves are useful clues, but several unrelated trees share a similar outline. Tree Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Beech? 20-40 m ### How wide does Beech spread? 10-20 m ### Is Beech edible? Yes ### How big is Beech? 50-150 cm ### How long does Beech live? 150-300 years ### Where is Beech usually found? Forests ### What kind of fruit does Beech produce? Nut ## Where to spot - [Oslebshauser Park (Bremen)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/oslebshauser-park-bremen) — Bremen, DE · Park - [Daisen-Oki National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/daisen-oki-national-park) — Chugoku, JP · Park - [Leonhard-Eißnert-Park Offenbach](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/leonhard-eissnert-park-offenbach) — Hessen, DE · Park - [Tsurugisan Quasi-National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tsurugisan-quasi-national-park) — Shikoku, JP · Park - [Aurunci Mountains Regional Nature Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/aurunci-mountains-regional-nature-park) — IT · Park - [Donners Park (Hamburg)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/donners-park-hamburg) — Hamburg, DE · Park [View all places to see Beech](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/beech) ## More Trees - [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) - [Sessile Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sessile-oak) (*Quercus petraea*) - [Northern Red Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-red-oak) (*Quercus rubra*) - [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) --- Source: [Beech: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/beech)