Trees of Alabama and the Southeast Home Page

Leaves are simple, alternate, deciduous, elliptical in shape, and coarsely serrate with parallel lateral veins running to the margin teeth. Dead leaves persist on twigs over the winter. Twigs are slender, gray, and zigzag with long, pointed, yellow-brown, "cigar" buds. Bark is blue-gray, thin and smooth. Fruit is a brown triangular nut enclosed in a spiny bur. American beech is found on fertile, mesic sites in the eastern U.S. and is very tolerant of shade. The hard wood is used for furniture and turnery.  Nuts are eaten by turkey, waterfowl and many small to large mammals.  Planted as an ornamental.

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All text and photographs are intended for educational purposes only and are not for commercial use in any form.  All photographs are copyrighted by the named photographer(s), text copyright by Lisa Samuelson. © 2005, all rights reserved. Photographs by Mike Hogan .