American Beech

Common Names

North American Beech

Scientific Names

Fagus grandifolia
Fagaceae family

Basic Landscape Attributes

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History of
the Tree Species

Native to eastern North America
Signaled fertile soil to early settlers
Often cleared away to make way for farming
Wood is hard and relatively light, used for bentwood furniture and firewood
Bark is smooth in uniform, good for carving
Sometimes planted as ornamental tree

Basic Growing Conditions

Full sun
Grows in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, silty loam, well-drained, and clay soils
Highly sensitive to drought

Scientific Facts

Beech buds are slim and long, resembling cigars
Beech nuts are sweet and nutritious, can be eaten raw by animals and humans or cooked
Nuts can also be ground into coffee-like substitute
Young beech leaves can be used as a potherb, cooked or raw
Nuts can be used as a vermifuge
Tea made from bark used to treat lung ailments and more

Location on tree on Shelby Ave:

The Shelby Avenue Arboretum is a community-grown project led by Nashville Tree Conservation Corps and is in partnership with NTCC and Metro Nashville.