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Fagus sylvatica

(European Beech)

Overview

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Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Common Names in English:

European Beech, Fern-Leaf Beech

Description

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Family Fagaceae

Trees or rarely shrubs , monoecious, evergreen or deciduous. Stipules usually early deciduous. Leaves alternate, sometimes false-whorled in Cyclobalanopsis. Inflorescences unisexual or androgynous with female cupules at the base of an otherwise male inflorescence. Male inflorescences a pendulous head or erect or pendulous catkin, sometimes branched; flowers in dense cymules . Male flower: sepals 4-6(-9), scalelike, connate or distinct ; petals absent; filaments filiform ; anthers dorsifixed or versatile, opening by longitudinal slits; with or without a rudimentary pistil. Female inflorescences of 1-7 or more flowers subtended individually or collectively by a cupule formed from numerous fused bracts, arranged individually or in small groups along an axis or at base of an androgynous inflorescence or on a separate axis. Female flower: perianth 1-7 or more; pistil 1; ovary inferior, 3-6(-9) -loculed; style and carpels as many as locules; placentation axile ; ovules 2 per locule. Fruit a nut. Seed usually solitary by abortion (but may be more than 1 in Castanea, Castanopsis, Fagus, and Formanodendron), without endosperm; embryo large.

Seven to 12 genera (depending on interpretation) and 900-1000 species: worldwide except for tropical and S Africa; seven genera and 294 species (163 endemic, at least three introduced ) in China.

Many species are important timber trees. Nuts of Fagus, Castanea, and of most Castanopsis species are edible, and oil is extracted from nuts of Fagus. Nuts of most species of this family contain copious amounts of water soluble tannin. Members of the Fagaceae are the main element of both broad-leaved evergreen and mixed mesophytic forests from 500-3200 m. [1]

Genus Fagus

Trees , winter-deciduous. Terminal buds present, long, tapered in maturity, all scales imbricate. Leaves: stipules prominent on new growth, soon deciduous. Leaf blade thin, secondary veins unbranched, ± parallel, extending to margin , each vein ending in acute or obscure tooth . Inflorescences unisexual , axillary in new growth leaves; staminate inflorescence lax, loosely capitate cluster of flowers; pistillate inflorescence short, stiff, cupule 1, terminal. Staminate flowers : sepals connate ; stamens 6-16; pistillode typically absent. Pistillate flowers 2 per cupule; sepals distinct ; carpels and styles 3. Fruits: maturation in 1st year following pollination; cupule 4-valved, valves distinct, ±completely enclosing nuts until maturity, prickly, prickles stout, unbranched, short, not obscuring surface of cupule, internal valves absent; nuts 2 per cupule, sharply 3-angled, slightly winged . x = 12.

Species 8-10: temperate , subtropical , and montane tropical forests , North America (e United States), Mexico, Europe, Asia.[2]

Physical Description

ID Features: Wavy entire leaf margins. Smooth, gray wrinkled bark. Dead leaves persist on tree through winter. Tree is very wide and branches generally touch ground. Alternate leaf arrangement. Three-winged fruit in a 4-lobed spiky involucre. Long pointed buds. 5 to 9 vein pairs.

Habit: Deciduous tree with a broad pyramidal shape . Trunk is short and branches generally touch ground .

Flowers: Monoecious. Usually flowers in April or Early May. Not ornamentally important. • Bloom Period: March, April, May. • Flower Color: pale yellow

Seeds: Fruit: Triangular nut. Nut is enclosed in a spiky involucre. 4-lobed involucre usually contains 2 nuts. Found singly on erect pedicels.

Foliage: Summer foliage: Alternate leaf arrangement . Simple leaves with wavy entire margins . Leaves are 2" to 4" long and approx. 2" wide. Glossy dark green leaf color, usually has a reddish tint. 5 to 9 vein pairs. • Fall foliage: Reddish bronze leaf color in fall . Very attractive. Leaves tend to persist through winter.

Size/Age/Growth

Growth Rate: Slow to moderate, about 1' per year. • Size: 50' to 60' tall and up to 50' wide.

Landscaping

Landscape Uses: Very attractive tree . Beautiful large specimen tree. Naturalized areas. Large open spaces. Lawn tree. Parks. Golf courses . Hedge , with heavy pruning. • Liabilities: Branches generally touch ground . Grass tends not to grow under tree . Does not like wet soils. Tends to sucker. Fruit can be a litter problem. Few minor pest problems including: powdery mildew , aphids, canker , and. beech bark disease. • Care: Tolerates heavy pruning.

Habitat

Zone 4.

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 2,500 meters (0 to 8,202 feet).[3]

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Transplant during dormant season . Easier to transplant than American Beech, thanks to shallow roots . Full sun best. Shallow, wide root system. Prune in early summer or early fall .

Soil: Moist, well-drained, acidic soil. Does not like excessively wet soils. • Minimum pH: 6.1 • Maximum pH: 7.8

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade.

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: High

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b. (map)

Taxonomy

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Synonyms

Castanea fagus Scop. • Fagus aenea Dum. Cours. • Fagus asplenifolia Dum. Cours. • Fagus cochleata (Dippel) Domin • Fagus comptoniifolia Desf. • Fagus crispa Dippel • Fagus cristata Dum. Cours. • Fagus cucullata Dippel • Fagus cuprea Hurter ex A. Dc. • Fagus echinata Gilib. • Fagus incisa Dippel • Fagus laciniata A. Dc. • Fagus pendula Dum. Cours. • Fagus purpurea Dum. Cours. • Fagus purpurea var. roseomarginata Cripps • Fagus quercoides (Pers.) Dippel • Fagus salicifolia A. Dc. • Fagus sylvatica f. aureovariegata C. K. Schneid. • Fagus sylvatica f. bornyensis Simon-Louis Ex Beissn. • Fagus sylvatica f. cochleata Dippel • Fagus sylvatica f. fastigiata Simon-Louis Ex K. Koch • Fagus sylvatica f. laciniata (Perr.) Domin • Fagus sylvatica f. pendula (Perr.) Domin • Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea (Aiton) C. K. Schneid. • Fagus sylvatica f. quercifolia C. K. Schneid. • Fagus sylvatica f. quercoides Pers. • Fagus sylvatica f. roseomarginata (Cripps) Domin • Fagus sylvatica f. tortuosa< /i> (Pépin) Hegi • Fagus sylvatica var. colorata A. Dc. • Fagus sylvatica var. cristata Loudon • Fagus sylvatica var. heterophylla Loudon • Fagus sylvatica var. luteovariegata Weston • Fagus sylvatica var. quercifolia (C. K. Schneid.) Geerinck • Fagus sylvatica var. tortuosa Dippel • Fagus sylvatica var. zlatia Spach Ex E. Goeze • Fagus sylvestris Gaertn. • Fagus tortuosa (Dippel) Domin • Fagus variegata A. Dc.

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Fagus

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 47 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

F. crenata (Japanese Beech) · F. grandifolia (American Beech) · F. orientalis (Oriental Beech) · F. sylvatica (European Beech) · F. sylvatica Atropurpurea Group (European Beech) · F. sylvatica f. latifolia (European Beech) · F. sylvatica f. purpurea (Copper Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Laciniata' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica L. var. roseo-marginata (Cripps) Rehder (Tricolor Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Tortuosa' (Parasol Beech) · F. sylvatica var. Beth Dwarf (Beth Dwarf European Beech) · F. sylvatica var. heterophylla 'Aspleniifolia' (Fern-Leaf Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Pendula' (European Weeping Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Ansorgei' (Ansorge European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Asplenifolia' (Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Atropunicea' (Purple European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Aurea Pendula' (Weeping European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Black Swan' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Cochleata' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Cockleshell' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Cristata' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Dawyck' (Dawyck European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Dawyck Gold' (Golden Columnar European Beach) · F. sylvatica 'Dawyck Purple' (Columnar European Beach) · F. sylvatica 'Fastigiata' (Upright European Beach) · F. sylvatica 'Interrupta Purpurea' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Luteovariegata' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Miltonensis' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Obelisk' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Prince George of Crete' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Purple Fountain' (Purple Fountain Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Purpurea Nana' (Purple European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Purpurea Pendula' (Purple-Leaf Weeping European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Quercifolia' (Oakleaf Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Quercina' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Red Obelisk' (Columnar European Beach) · F. sylvatica 'Riversii' (Copper European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Rohanii' (Copper Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Rohan Gold' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Rohan Obelisk' (Rohan Obelisk Upright Purple Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Rohan Trompenburg' (Fern-Leafed Copper Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Roseomarginata' (Tri-Colored European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Rotundifolia' (Round-Leaf Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Swat Margret' (European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Tortuosa Purpurea' (Parasol Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Tricolor' (Tricolor European Beech) · F. sylvatica 'Zlatia' (European Beech)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 17, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Chengjiu Huang, Yongtian Zhang & Bruce Bartholomew "Fagaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 4 Page 314. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. Haining Qin & Peter Fritsch "Fagus". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  3. Mean = 243.700 meters (799.541 feet), Standard Deviation = 393.650 based on 18,348 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/15/2012