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Fagus sylvatica

Common name: Beech Family: Fagaceae
Author: L. Botanical references: 11, 17, 200
Synonyms:  
Known Hazards: Large quantities of the seed may be toxic[65, 76].
Range: Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to Spain, Greece, W. Russia and the Crimea.
Habitat: Grows in woodlands where it is often the dominant species, especially on chalky and soft limestone soils, though sometimes also on well-drained loams and sands[13, 17].
Edibility Rating (1-5): 4Medicinal Rating (1-5):2

Other Possible Synonyms:From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
F. silvatica[E] F. slyvatica[E] F. sylvatica var. atropunicea[B,P]
Other Common Names:From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
Beech [H,L], Beuk [D], Buck-mast [H], Common Beech [H], European Beech [H,DEN1,B,P,E], Hay Beech [H], Hayo [E], Kayinagaci [E],
Epithets:From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
sylvatica = growing in the woods, wild
Systematics:From a USDA Plants Database
Order: Fagales. Beech family
Other Range Info: From the Ethnobotany Database
Europe Spain Turkey

Physical Characteristics

A decidious tree growing to 30m by 15m at a medium rate. It is hardy to zone 5 and is frost tender. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The flowers are monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and are pollinated by Wind. It is noted for attracting wildlife. We rate it 4/5 for edibility and 2/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It can tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Hedge, Woodland, Canopy.

Edible Uses

Coffee Leaves Oil Seed.

Young leaves - raw[183]. A very nice mild flavour, they go well in a mixed salad. However, the leaves quickly become tough so only the youngest should be used[2, 5, 12, K]. New growth is usually produced for 2 periods of 3 weeks each year, one in spring and one in mid-summer.
Seed - raw or cooked[2, 5, 7, 63, 183]. A pleasant sweet flavour, though rather small and fiddly[K]. The seed can also be dried and ground into a powder and then used with cereal flours when making bread, cakes etc[12]. The seed is rich in oil. The seed should not be eaten in large quantities because it contains a deleterious principle[65, 238].
The seed contains 17 - 20% of an edible semi-drying oil[4, 7, 8, 57]. This stores well without going rancid and is said to be equal in delicacy to olive oil[183]. It is used as a dressing for salads and also for cooking[238]. The seed residue is poisonous[9, 57].
The roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute[2, 63].

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Antacid Antipyretic Antiseptic Antitussive Bach Expectorant Odontalgic Skin.

The bark is antacid, antipyretic, antiseptic, antitussive, expectorant, odontalgic[7, 9].
A tar (or creosote), obtained by dry distillation of the branches, is stimulating and antiseptic[4]. It is used internally as a stimulating expectorant and externally as an application to various skin diseases[4, 238]. The pure creosote has been used to give relief from toothache, but it should not be used without expert guidance[7].
The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for prescribing it are 'Intolerance', 'Criticism' and 'Passing judgements'[209].

Other Uses

Charcoal Fuel Hedge Stuffing Teeth Wood.

A semi-drying oil is obtained from the seed, it is used as a fuel for lighting, as a lubricant, for polishing wood etc[12, 13, 46, 57, 63]. The seed residue is poisonous[9, 57].
The leaf buds harvested in the winter and dried on the twigs are used as toothpicks[66].
The leaves are gathered in autumn and used as a stuffing material for mattresses etc[115].
Wood - hard, heavy, strong, very durable[13, 46]. It is not suitable for outdoor use[1] and is often attacked by a small beetle[4]. It has a wide range of applications, including furniture, flooring, turnery etc[100]. It makes a very good fuel[6, 66], burning with a lot of heat[4], and yields a charcoal known as 'Carbo Ligni Pulveratus'[46].
The wood has often been used as a source of creosote, tar, methyl alcohol. acetic acid[123].

Cultivation details

Thrives on a light or medium soil, doing well on chalk, but ill-adapted for a heavy wet soil[1, 11]. Prefers a calcareous soil but succeeds in acid soils though it does not make such a fine tree in such a situation[186]. Succeeds in almost any soil and any pH, it is also very tolerant of a wide range of climatic conditions so long as there is sufficient rainfall[200]. Established trees are drought tolerant[186]. Very wind tolerant but dislikes salt[200]. Trees are shallow rooted and this might make them less wind resistant[186].
Trees have two growth periods a year, each of about 3 weeks in duration. The first is in spring around the end of April, the second is in summer, around the end of July.
Trees are often slow growing and also can be very slow to establish after transplanting. However, in good conditions they are capable of growing up to a metre in a year.
Young trees are very shade tolerant, but are subject to frost damage to their flowers and young leaves and so are best grown in a woodland position which will protect them[200].
An important food plant for many caterpillars, it has 64 species of associated insects[24].
Trees have a heavy canopy and cast a dense shade, very few other species can grow in a dense beech wood and on suitable soils it becomes the dominant species[186].
Very intolerant of coppicing, trees producing none or only very weak growth afterwards and this is soon smothered by other plants[186]. Plants are very tolerant of light pruning however and if this is carried out in late summer the plants will retain their dead leaves over winter[29].
There are many named forms selected for their ornamental value. Those forms with purple leaves prefer a position in full sun whilst forms with yellow leaves prefer some shade[188].
This species is notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

Seed - the seed has a short viability and is best sown as soon as it is ripe in the autumn in a cold frame. Protect the seed from mice. Germination takes place in the spring. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seedlings are slow growing for the first few years and are very susceptible to damage by late frosts.
The seed can also be sown in an outdoor seedbed in the autumn[186]. The seedlings can be left in the open ground for three years before transplanting, but do best if put into their final positions as soon as possible and given some protection from spring frosts.

Cultivars

''
There are some named forms for this species, but these have been developed for their ornamental value and not for their other uses. Unless you particularly require the special characteristics of any of these cultivars, we would generally recommend that you grow the natural species for its useful properties. We have, therefore, not listed the cultivars in this database[K].

Suppliers

Plants For A Future is working with the following groups to try and make these plants easily available. Parts of the proceeds will be donated to   so please mention us when ordering.

Wildwood Nurseries
Lower Manor Cottage
Thornbury
Holsworthy
Devon
EX22 7DD
Email: lorna@macace.co.uk
Phone 01409 261324 Fax 01409 261324
Distribution: UK
How to order: Direct from Wildwood by email/phone
Last Updated: March 03
Item: Fagus sylvatica (common beech)

Forever Trees Nursery
Denbury Road
Ipplepen
TQ12 5TR
Phone 01803 814098 Distribution: UK
How to order: Direct from Forever Trees
Last Updated: March 03
Item: Fagus sylvatica (Beech)
        Size: 2 year old Price: £4

Cool Temperate Nurseries
10 Ivy Grove
Nottingham
NG7 7LZ
Email: philcorbett53@hotmail.com
Phone 0115 847 8302 Fax 0115 847 8302
Distribution: UK
How to order: Direct from Cool Temperate by email/phone
Notes: Many Trees supplied on their own rootstock
Last Updated: April 03
Item: Fagus sylvatica (Beech)

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

PFAF Web Pages

This plant is mentioned in the following web pages

Web References

References for Fagus silvatica (a possible synonym). References for Fagus slyvatica (a possible synonym). References for fagus sylvatica (a possible synonym).

References for the family Fagaceae.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.

[5] Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974 ISBN 0-00-219060-5
Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.

[6] Mabey. R. Plants with a Purpose. Fontana 1979 ISBN 0-00-635555-2
Details on some of the useful wild plants of Britain. Poor on pictures but otherwise very good.

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[8] Ceres. Free for All. Thorsons Publishers 1977 ISBN 0-7225-0445-4
Edible wild plants in Britain. Small booklet, nothing special.

[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[12] Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-7971-2
A handy pocket guide.

[13] Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3
Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore.

[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.

[24] Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.
Fairly good with lots of ideas about creating wildlife areas in the garden.

[29] Shepherd. F.W. Hedges and Screens. Royal Horticultural Society. 1974 ISBN 0900629649
A small but informative booklet giving details of all the hedging plants being grown in the R.H.S. gardens at Wisley in Surrey.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[57] Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.

[63] Howes. F. N. Nuts. Faber 1948
Rather old but still a masterpiece. Has sections on tropical and temperate plants with edible nuts plus a section on nut plants in Britain. Very readable.

[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.

[66] Freethy. R. From Agar to Zenery. The Crowood Press 1985 ISBN 0-946284-51-2
Very readable, giving details on plant uses based on the authors own experiences.

[76] Cooper. M. and Johnson. A. Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man. HMSO 1984 ISBN 0112425291
Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock.

[100] Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969 ISBN 0192176218
An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.

[115] Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
Written about a hundred years ago, but still a very good guide to the useful plants of Britain.

[123] ? Encyclopaedia Britannica. 15th edition.
It contains a few things of interest to the plant project.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[186] Beckett. G. and K. Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Jarrold 1979
An excellent guide to native British trees and shrubs with lots of details about the plants.

[188] Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990 ISBN 0-86318-386-7
Excellent range of photographs, some cultivation details but very little information on plant uses.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[209] Chancellor. P. M. Handbook of the Bach Flower Remedies C. W. Daniel Co. Ltd. 1985 ISBN 85207 002 0
Details the 38 remedies plus how and where to prescribe them.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

Readers Comments

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