All features at a glance

Important characteristics of the European beech

• Trunk: smooth, hardly grained, up to 2 meters in diameter
• bark: silvery gray
• Leaves: green, yellow in autumn
• Leaf shape: egg-shaped, slightly serrate on the edge
• Adult height: up to 40 meters
• Crown shape: round, pronounced, even
• Buds: brown, about 2 centimeters long
• Flowers: inconspicuous, monoecious

European beech trees that stand in the middle of the forest have a very smooth trunk, with the crown only attached several meters above the ground.

If the common beech stands alone in the park or garden, there are also branches on the lower trunk. Freestanding trees protect the trunk from excessive sunlight and wind through the leafy side branches.

Why does a European beech have green leaves?

Despite their name, beeches have green ones leaves. The name red beech can be traced back to the reddish wood.

There are also beeches with red leaves. This is then a

Copper beech. Their leaves contain a great deal of red dye, which is superimposed on the green dye. This type of beech is a mutation.

In autumn, the leaves of the common beech and copper beech turn a bright orange-red. In contrast to other deciduous trees, that remains Foliage of the common beech often hang on the tree until the next year.

Red beech is a popular timber

Beech wood is used for many purposes used:

• Furniture making
• Instrument making
• Charcoal
• Incense wood
• firewood

Beech wood contains little moisture, so it can be burned in the fireplace without any problems.

The fruits of the common beech are slightly poisonous

Beechnuts are called the fruits of the European beech. They contain the Toxins fagin and oxalic acidwhich are toxic to humans and also to horses.

However, beechnuts were also eaten in times of need. When the fruits are roasted or heated in some other way, the toxins break down so that the beechnuts no longer cause symptoms of poisoning.