American Beech Fagus grandifolia Ehrhart    
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Fagales   >   Family Fagaceae   >   Genus Fagus   

Description:

American Beech trees have smooth gray bark without furrows or ridges. Buds are long and sharp pointed. Brown, dead leaves commonly remain on the branches in winter (a phenomenon called "marcescence"), making beech trees stand out in winter woods.

Where to find:

Grows in rich, moist woods, sometimes in nearly pure stands (Brown and Brown, 1972). Occurs in every county in Maryland.

Relationships:

Host plant for various moth species including Banded Tussock Moth and Angulose Prominent Moth (Database of World's Lepidopteran Host Plants, Miller et al., 2018). Frequently host to the mite Aceria ferruginea.

Host to Beech Blight Aphid and the fungus Scorias spongiosa, which grows on the honeydew secreted by the aphid.

Associated with Knothole Moss.

There are 696 records in the project database.

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American Beech growing in Kent Co., Maryland (4/27/2014). Photo by Nancy Martin. (MBP list)

American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/19/2012). Photo by Brandon Woo. (MBP list)

American Beech, showing winter-persistent, or "marcescent," leaves in Montgomery Co., Maryland (12/12/2015). Photo by Mike Ostrowski. (MBP list)

American Beech in Talbot Co., Maryland (3/26/2016). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

An American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (12/12/2015). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

American Beech leaves in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/17/2012). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

An American Beech in Harford Co., Maryland (5/3/2017). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

American Beech in Caroline Co., Maryland (8/2/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Blooming American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/11/2019). Photo by Matthew Beziat. (MBP list)

Young fruit of an American Beech in Howard Co., Maryland (6/20/2015). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

American Beech in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/21/2015). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

American Beech blooming in Caroline Co., Maryland (4/18/2017). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/12/2011). Male flowers opening up. Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

American Beech, shoot with new leaves and cluster of male flowers, in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/3/2016). Photo by Jane Hill. (MBP list)

The bud of an American Beech in Talbot Co., Maryland (2/25/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (2/17/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/28/2018). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

American Beech in Garrett Co., Maryland (4/25/2019). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

American Beech hosting Aceria ferruginea in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/24/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

An American Beech with atypical roots in Howard Co., Maryland (12/12/2015). Photo by Nancy Magnusson. (MBP list)

American Beech in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/27/2020). (c) jdstafford, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by jdstafford via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

American Beech in Howard Co., Maryland (5/7/2017). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/17/2020). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

American Beech in Caroline Co., Maryland (5/29/2016). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

American Beech in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/25/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

American Beech in Calvert Co., Maryland (12/17/2017). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)


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