Beech Trees in Winter

American Beech, Fagus grandifloria

          Beech trees turn golden yellow in the fall, but instead of dropping their leaves, many hold on to their brown leaves through winter.  This leaf retention trait is called marcescence, and usually occurs on either young beeches or the newer lower branches of mature beeches.  Many oaks are  marcescent as well.  Scientists don’t know why some trees keep their dead leaves past fall, but some believe that the dead leaves deter deer from eating the fresh young sprouts in spring. 

            Beech trees produce beechnuts, which are not related to the chewing gum.   The small, three-sided nuts are edible to humans and wildlife.  They can be found inside a prickly bur, or husk, and can be roasted or eaten raw.

            In the woods, beech trees are very shade tolerant.  However, their thin bark makes them susceptible to extreme winter temperatures, late spring frosts, fire injury and diseases.  The thin gray bark is one reason people are inclined to carve their initials on the tree. 

            Beech wood is used for flooring, furniture, lumber and veneer.  The tree was also important in colonial medicine.

Beechnuts and their husks