American Beech      FA-gus gran-di-FO-li-a

• Deciduous tree, 50-70(120) ft [15-21(37) m], short trunk, spreading, stately.  Thin, smooth blue-gray bark.  Leaves simple, alternate, 5-13 cm long, acuminate apex (pointed), parallel veins, 9-14 pairs (F. sylvatica has 5-9 pairs), each ending in a small tooth, glossy dark green above.  Petiole 5 mm long or longer, smooth.  Buds large (2-2.5 cm long), pointed.  Fruit is a three-winged nut (edible), enclosed by a prickly covering (involucre), 2 cm long.  Fruit smaller and leaves have more veins (9-14 pairs vs. 5-9 pairs) than F. sylvatica.
• Best in full sun, but will withstand part shade.  Robust in well-drained, moist acid soil; will not stand compaction.  It is difficult to grow turf under it because of its shallow root system.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 3      Native range from New Brunswick to Ontario, south to Florida and Texas.
• grandifolia: from the Latin grandis, large, and folium, leaf.  
• Oregon State Univ. campus: northeast of Langston Hall.