August Tree of the Month-Beech

St. Louis rests on the edge of hardiness for the native North American beech, Fagus grandifolia, which is only found naturally in the central, and southeast corner of Missouri.

Whereas our neighbors to the south and east enjoy beech forests, tree-geeks here rejoice in discovering a lone tree and make note of any sizeable specimens found in our local parks or gardens.

Beech can grow in full sun to mostly shade as long as they get regular moisture. The most sizeable ones in the St. Louis area seem to have some protection from neighboring trees. Fagus grandifolia can grow 60-80′ high with a dense, upright-oval to a rounded crown full of rich, green foliage. It is not a tree for most small backyard gardens.

Native beech does tend to hang onto some leaves in winter, similar to oaks (a near cousin). This makes them easy to ID in wooded areas, as their parchment-colored “skirts” of leaves stand out among the bare branches of the other trees they share the forest with.

The husk-covered fruits form in late summer/early fall and are edible. The wood of beech is THE wood referenced in the “Beechwood aged” Budweiser beer ads. Unlike oak or hickory, beechwood barrels do not impart any flavor to the contents of stored liquids. For that same reason, beech is also the preferred wood for popsicle sticks.

And then there’s the bark. Smooth and silvery, with gentle folds like elephant skin, it’s unfortunately easy to carve on. Beech has to be the most vandalized tree in history.

Rare is the local nursery or garden center that will carry American beech. Enter the European beech, Fagus sylvatica, and its many quirky and colorful cultivars. Weeping, columnar, purple, variegated, fern-leaf types … if you are a foliage aficionado or gravitate to unique sylva forms, European beeches WILL MAKE YOU DROOL.

Cultivars include;

Fagus sylvatica ‘Asplenifolia’-Commonly called fernleaf beech with its deeply lobed leaves.

Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’ -Weeping beech

Fagus sylvatica’ Purpurea’ -Commonly called Copper beech with its bronzy-purple foliage.

Fagus sylvatica’ Purpurea Pendula’ -Purple foliage AND weeping habit.

Fagus sylvatica’ Riversii’ –Purple foliage

Fagus sylvatica’ Dawyck Purple’-Purple leaf AND columnar form.

Fagus sylvatica’ Dawyck Gold’ –You guessed it, columnar form with chartreuse/gold leaves.

Last but not least, Fagus sylvatica ‘Tricolor’ -(Also sold as ‘Rosea-marginata’) The coveted tri-color beech, has newly hatched tree-geeks under its spell at first glance with its pink, white, and green variegated leaves. It should be sold with a warning label, or at the very least, a packet of hankies since, in the end, usually after a prolonged, painful, suffering (and denial) stage, IT WILL MAKE YOU CRY. There are always exceptions…but locally, even the poor specimen Missouri Botanical Garden has struggled for over 45 years in its protective shady situation in the Holly Fields and looks terrible every summer. (Note photos below taken mid-August)

One does wonder why someone isn’t working on a columnar or even weeping form of our native beech to give the European beech something to compete with and perhaps be better adapted to our climate.

What I love about this plant

-It’s native!

-Beautiful habit.

-Stunning bark.

-Great shade tree.

-Edible fruits.

What’s not so great;

-Missouri Botanical Garden does not list any major pests or diseases for Fagus americana. However, just to our east, states like Ohio are battling Beech Leaf Disease that causes yellow and dark green banding and puckering of leaves, resulting in thin canopies and, more recently, tree death. 

-Beech blight aphid, the “boogie-woogie aphid, also plagues beech in the east, and between climate change and Mother Nature’s whims, it could spread.

-The European beech has its issues with occasional scale, occasional aphids, Japanese beetles, caterpillars, and borers. Beech bark disease, canker, and powdery mildew can also occur.

Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com

Words and photos by Jo Batzer

© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2024, All rights reserved.