Tree Identification - Beech

I’d like to dedicate this post to Xalior since I know how much he is enjoying this series.

I got this one wrong The photos have been replaced with ones of an actual Beech, whilst you can find the original photos correctly identified as a Black Poplar.

As the (mighty) Scots Pine fades into the annals of the interweb, our attention is turned to the Beech – (Fagus sylvatica – meaning “Beech of forests”, imaginative lot these latin speakers…). I have a large number of these in my garden, with the majority former a border between my garden and the rest of my land.

The Beech is a deciduous tree, and a native of the British Isles. It can grow up to 40 metres (that’s over 130 feet) tall, although the large examples are in decline due to a combination of lowering water tables causing die back in some and high winds felling others.

Its twigs have alternating shoots, with long slender buds growing out from the twig. It’s leaves are glossy green on the top, and have plain edges.

Beech trees often keep their leaves long after others have fallen.

I’ll update with a photo of the leaves later in the year.

Beech bark is typically gray and smooth, and retains this appearance throughout the life of the tree.

Beech wood fires are bright and clear,
if the logs are kept a year.

Beech wood burns well when seasoned. Green Beech wood will burn, but not as well. As well as being a good firewood and for producing charcoal, the timber is used for furniture – although usually used for smaller components – and flooring.

Apparently the leaves make a “fine salad vegetable”, but they are better eaten in Spring than later in the year.

Beech nuts, best gathered in Autumn, are edible although tedious to peel. The kernels can roasted and ground to make a coffee substitute, or pressed to extract oil which can be used for salad dressings or cooking. Sawdust can be boiled, baked, mixed with flour and made into bread.