Beech

Audio Narration

Transcript

The European beech is native to Eurasia and North America, and is the most abundant hardwood species in Austrian, German and Swiss forests. The European beech, Fagus sylvatica, is the most commonly cultivated species of beech. These beeches are high branching with tall, stout trunks and smooth silver-grey bark. The Engleriana subgenus is found only in East Asia, distinctive for its low branches, often made up of several major trunks with yellowish bark. Beeches are monoecious, bearing both male and female flowers on the same plant. The small flowers are unisexual. The female flowers are paired, while the male flowers are wind-pollinated catkins. The flowers are produced in spring shortly after the new leaves appear. The fruit of the beech tree, known as beechnuts, drop from the tree in autumn. They are small, roughly triangular and edible, with a bitter, astringent or mild and nut-like taste. The leaves of the beech tree in this park are purple. When picturing a beech tree, imagine fairytales coming alive as you wander through an enchanted forest.