FNPS Plant Database

Fagus grandifolia

American beech

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

American beech

Synonym(s):

Fagus americana

Genus species:

Fagus grandifolia

Family:

Fagaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

tree

Size:

40-80 (100) ft tall by to 40 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

NA

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

deciduous

Noted For:

Fall Color, Interesting Foliage, Interesting Bark

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Shade tree. It is known for its smooth light gray bark. Its leaves turn yellow and then light brown remaining on the tree until nearly spring and providing interest to the winter landscape. If you are privileged to have this tree in the landscape, retain and protect it.

Considerations:

This is a large tree that will produce dense shade and many root suckers. Take this into consideration when deciding where to plant it. Slow growing.

Availability:

Quality Nurseries, Native Nurseries, FNPS Plant Sales

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Usually moist, occasional inundation ---to--- Short very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Clay, Loam

Soil pH:

acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Birds, Mammals

Larval host for walnut sphinx ( Amorpha juglandis ).

Fruits (a nut in a bur) are valued by wildlife. 





Tree valued for nesting by some songbirds.

Native Habitats:

Upland, mesic to dry mesic hardwood forests.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Nuts edible.

General Comments:

Citations:

Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H.; [Technical coordinators] 1990. Silvics of North America: Volume 2. Hardwoods. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook 654 ( https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/1548 ). 



Huegel, Craig, N.  2010.  Native plant landscaping for Florida wildlife.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 



University of Tennessee Extension Service.  Desired Ph Range and salt tolerance of common nursery plants.    https://extension.tennessee.edu/mtnpi/Documents/handouts/Fertility/Desired-pH-Range-List.pdf   accessed 2021.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu /).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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