All About the American Beech:
Scientific Nomenclature: Fagus grandifolia
Common Names: American beech, North American beech
Mature Height: 50–70 feet
Mature Spread: 100–120 feet
Growth Rate: Slow
Attracts Wildlife: Birds and mammals
Messiness: Flowers bloom in spring, male flowers drop in summer and female flowers mature to nuts in autumn. Prickly, brownish, triangular beechnuts drop in autumn alongside leaves.
Shape: Round
Native to Kentucky: Yes
Preferred Soils: Prefers moist, well-drained acidic (<6.0pH) soils. It has no preference over clay, loam, or sandy soils. Is completely intolerant of wet or compacted soils.
Screening: Not sought after as a screening tree.
Drought Tolerance: Is not very tolerant of drought or heat.
Coniferous or Deciduous: Deciduous
Pruning: Careful consideration should be taken to prune this tree often, as it develops suckers from a vast system of surface roots. An entire beech grove can often originate from a single tree, so consideration should also be taken when planting this tree in smaller landscapes.
Climate Quick Facts:
Following being planted as a sapling, over the next 20 years one American beech will:
- Sequester ~506 pounds of CO2.
- Reduce stormwater runoff by 331 gallons.