Beech

Fagus sylvatica

Height 20-35 m, bole up to 1.8 diameter. Deciduous. Domed corwn, more conical in young trees. Bark is silver-grey, smooth. Leaves are oval, toothed, light green becoming darker, 6-10 x 4-7 cm. Yellow and brown in autumn.

What habitats does it normally live in?

Native to western and southern Europe, including southern England and south Sweden. Widely planted. Woodland on free-draining acidic and alkaline soils.

What are its young like?

Female flowers are green, male flowers globe-shaped on drooping stalks. Fruit is a small slightly prickly woody cup containing small nuts. Fruit is important food for birds such as tits and finches, as well as small mammals.

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