Family: FAGACEAE
There are about a dozen species of the genus Fagus, all originating from northern temperate regions. They are deciduous trees, shallow rooted and yielding a dense, even - grained timber. Although hardy, they do not grow well in heavy or wet clay soil, or in situations where they are exposed to heavy prevailing winds or salt spray. They are tolerant of alkaline soils.
The beech is propagated either by seed or by rooted suckers which are put out freely. It can also be grafted.
Fagus sylvatica (common beech, European beech) An impressive tree growing to over 40 m tall, with a spreading crown capable of forming an area of dense shade 35 m in diameter. The spectacular autumn foliage is golden in colour and there are also a number of purple and coppery leaved forms (F sylvatica van airopuinicea). It prefers light, well drained soils and grows well on chalk soils and limestone soils, where it is often the climax species.
It can provide long clean trunks of timber, straight - grained and free from knots. The wood is rosy coloured, hard, strong and easily worked, and is much in demand for furniture, especially chairs, flooring, handles and turnery, veneers, plywood and modern demified board. It is however fairly brittle and so is not well - suited for purposes where strength and durability are required. It also makes excellent firewood.
In England, the common beech is often used as a hedge. The fruit or beechmast is a very good animal feed, and has long been a traditional food for pigs and fattening poultry in Europe. In England, park deer feed on beechmast. It is potentially a good food for humans and was eaten by the N. American Indians. The early settlers used roasted beech nuts as a coffee substitute and the inner bark of the beech tree has been used to make bread. Well ripened beechmast yields 17 - 20% of a non - drying oil similar to hazel and cottonseed oils, which can be used for lighting, cooking, or as a salad - oil or butter substitute and the residue used as animal feed. The nutri-tional composition of the beechnut is; protein 21.8%, fat 49.9%, carbohydrates 18%, ash 3.7%, water 6.6%.
The annual yield of beechnuts tends to be variable. The foliage forms a good animal forage and the very young leaves are good in salads. The wood ash is high in potash. For medicinal uses, the tar is stimulating and antiseptic and can be used as an expectorant in chronic bronchi-tis or externally as a treatment for various skin diseases.