Yellowish-green flowers bloom in spring with the male flowers appearing in globular clusters and the female flowers in short spikes. Fertilized female flowers produce triangular nuts enclosed by spiny bracts that ripen in fall.
| Family | Beech |
|---|---|
| Season Bloom | Spring |
| Habitat | The smooth, silver-gray bark make the Beech a stand-out in the forest. A beech-maple forest indicates the end of succession for the forest. These trees tolerate shade as they mature. Beeches are threatened by Beech Bark Disease which appears as a white fungus on the bark. A Beech is a large, attractive shade tree. Beech nuts are highly valued wildlife food consumed by squirrels, racoons, bears, and other mammals and game birds. It attracts birds and butterflies and is the larval host for the Early Hairstreak butterfly. |
| Cycle | |
| Height | 50-80' |
| Leaf Description | Leaves are dark green, glossy, simple, and sparsely toothed with prominent veining. The copper-colored fall leaves can hold on through the winter, especially on younger trees. |
| Soil Type | Wet |
| Light Source | Shade, Partial Shade |
| Location | Woodland |
