Evergreen Beech, Coihue, Dombey's Southern Beech                 no-thoh-FAH-gus DOM-bee-ei, DOM-bee-ee

• Broadleaf evergreen tree, fast growing, in its habitat it may reach a height of 130 ft (~40 m), its crown is ovoid-conic.  Bark is ash-gray, flaking and cracking in maturity.  Shoots pubescent, red-brown above, green below.  Leaves simple, alternate, 2-4 cm long, stiff, narrowly ovoid to lanceolate, blunt pointed, margins irregularly serrate, glossy dark green above, matt and pale below, finely flecked with dots (glands) (use a lens), petiole 2-3 mm.  Male flowers in groups of 3, have bright red stamens (8-13).  Fruit, similar to Fagus, is solitary or 2-3 per group, 4-valved, 8 mm capsule with granular bristles.
• Sun or some shade.
• Hardy to USDA Zone (6)7   Reportedly tolerates low temperatures (-15° C even -20° C = 5°F even -4°F), it can be covered by snow for months (1 - 8 months).      Native to Chile and Argentina.
• Oregon State Univ. campus: south of Benton Hall