American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) is one of the most ecologically important tree species in the Great Lakes Region. The scientific name means “large-leaved beech” – it has larger leaves than European Beech (Fagus sylvatica), which is more familiar to botanists and horticulturalists. It is widely distributed across Eastern North America, stretching from the subtropical forests in the Florida panhandle, where it grows alongside Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), to the high snowfall areas along the shores of Lake Superior and Lake Huron. American Beech is the only beech tree native to the Americas – the others are found in Europe and Asia, and of these, only Japanese Beech (Fagus crenata) can tolerate as severe winters and heavy snowpack as American Beech.

Description

American Beech is a large tree that can grow up to 30 m or taller. It is best identified by its smooth grey bark on mature individuals. This is unlike other trees, which develop rough ridges on the bark. The leaves are elliptic, around twice as long as wide, growing up to 5-15 cm. The edges of the leaves are serrated (toothed), like American Chestnut (Castanea dentata), which has similar, but larger leaves. In the winter, beech is best identified by its buds, which are very long and narrow, up to 2.5 cm in length and 0.5 cm in width. It is also readily identified by beige-brown leaves retained on saplings in the winter, a phenomenon called marcescence, which it shares with the Ironwood (Eastern Hophornbeam) tree (Ostrya virginiana).

Growing up to 40m tall, Beech is a dominant species in mesophytic (moist) forest ecosystems in the Great Lakes Region, alongside Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), White Ash (Fraxinus americana), Basswood (Tilia americana), Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera) and Bitternut Hickory (Carya cordiformis) Representative examples of this beech-maple forest type in the Long Point Basin are found in LBPLT’s Stackhouse Forest Sanctuary, and Jackson-Gunn Old Growth Forest, Catfish Creek CA’s Springwater Forest, as well as Nature Conservancy of Canada’s Backus Woods, especially alongside the trails between Concession 3 and 4. American Beech grows from the north shore of Lake Huron southward to the Florida Panhandle along the Gulf of Mexico, westward to the Ozark Mountains, and east to the Atlantic Ocean.

Wildlife importance 

Every autumn, beechnuts are consumed by a wide variety of wildlife, especially frugivorous birds and mammals, such as Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata), Squirrels (Sciuridae) and Black Bears (Ursus americanus). Like oaks, walnuts and hickories, beech trees produce an abundance of nuts in some years – termed “mast years”, and in other years, very little. This is an evolutionary adaption mechanism aimed at control the number of predators, especially nut-weevils (Curculio sp.) impacting beechnuts. For bears, American Beech has been associated with reproductive success the following year. Of all our forest nut trees, only American Chestnut produces consistent number of fruits each year.

Beech bark disease 

American Beech is threatened by two non-native introduced diseases, Beech Bark Disease and Beech Leaf Disease. Through international trade of horticultural products, Beech Bark Disease was introduced to North America in the 1890s, when the Beech Scale Insect (Cryptococcus fagisuga), the organism that causes the disease, was introduced to Nova Scotia. From there, Beech Scale spread throughout Eastern North America, reaching the Long Point Basin in the latter part of the 20th century. Beech Scale facilitates the establishment of two Neonectria fungi (at least one which is native to North America), which ultimately girdle and kill the tree. Resistance to Beech Scale is highly variable, averaging 1-5%, with up to 15% at least partially resistant to the Neonectria fungi. When the aboveground portion of Beech trees are destroyed by Beech Bark Disease, the tree responds by sending up suckers, since the roots are not directly impacted by Beech Bark Disease.

Beech leaf disease

Beech Leaf Disease is a much newer pathogen, introduced in 2014 to Cleaveland Ohio. Beech Leaf Disease originated in Japan, where it infects Japanese Beech trees at low severity levels. It is caused by a foliar nematode, Litylenchus crenatae, which feeds on the buds of beech trees. The most telltale signs of Beech Leaf Disease are lateral black stripes between the veins of beech leaves. The exact mortality rate, due to the recent introduction of the disease, is currently unknown, but some trees are showing signs of potential resistance to the disease. With Western University, I conducted a research project on Beech Bark Disease and Beech Leaf Disease in 2024 and 2025 and found that large canopy trees were more impacted by Beech Bark Disease compared to Beech Leaf Disease, whereas the reverse is true for Beech Leaf Disease, where saplings are more impacted by Beech Leaf Disease.

Fun facts 

• Beech bark graffiti: American beech trees have remarkably smooth, light gray bark that persists as they age. This smooth surface has historically made them a favorite for carving initials and messages.
• When Black Bears climb beech trees, they often leave markings of their claws in the bark. These markings are found throughout Ontario wherever bears occur. On the oldest trees in the Long Point Region, some trees bear old scars produced by Black Bears, an indicator of their historical presence.
• American beech is one of the most shade-tolerant plants in the Great Lakes Region. This allows it to dominate undisturbed forests, making it among the most abundant tree in these ecosystems.
• American beech trees can reproduce not only by seeds but also by sending up sprouts from their shallow root system. This can lead to the formation of groves or thickets of genetically identical trees originating from a single “mother” tree, giving it a competitive edge against many sympatric tree species.

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Written by Matthew Palarchio, HBSc in Environmental Sciences, Western University.

Photos by Matthew Palarchio

 

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