Family: Fagaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 998 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Fagus
Vegetable: False
Observations: Europe to Caucasus
Description
The Beech tree, scientifically known as Fagus sylvatica, is a majestic and widely recognized species cherished for its impressive size and historical significance. Commonly found ranging from Europe to the Caucasus, this member of the Fagaceae family has long been admired for both its aesthetic appeal and its practical uses.
First described in 1753 by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus in his seminal work “Species Plantarum,” the Beech tree holds a notable place in botanical history. These stately trees can grow to considerable heights, often reaching up to 40 meters, and are characterized by their smooth, gray bark and broad, rounded crowns. The leaves of the Beech are typically dark green, glossy, and oval-shaped with wavy edges, which turn a rich, coppery color in the fall, adding to the tree’s seasonal beauty.
One of the remarkable features of Fagus sylvatica is its adaptability to a variety of environments, thriving in both forests and cultivated landscapes. The tree prefers well-drained, fertile soils and enjoys a temperate climate, which is why it is predominantly found across Europe and into the Caucasus region. Beech trees are particularly notable for creating dense canopies that provide deep shade, which significantly influences the undergrowth and ecosystem beneath them.
In addition to their ecological importance, Beech trees have been utilized by humans for centuries. The wood, known for being both strong and workable, is commonly used in furniture making, flooring, and other woodworking crafts. Additionally, the fine grain and light color of Beech wood make it a favored material for both functional and decorative purposes.
Furthermore, Beech nuts, also called “mast,” have historically been an important food source for wildlife, including birds and mammals. These nuts are not only vital for the ecosystem but have also been harvested for human consumption in some cultures, providing a rich source of nutrients.
Overall, the Beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) stands as a symbol of natural beauty and resilience, deeply rooted in the landscapes and cultures of its native regions. Whether appreciated for its towering presence in the forest or its practical uses in human industry, the Beech tree remains an invaluable component of our natural world.
Common Names
Dan: almindelig bøg, bøg
Eng: beech, european beech, european beech, common beech
Lit: paprastasis bukas
Deu: rot-buche, rotbuche
Nld: beuk
Swe: bok, bøk, euroopanpyökki, rödbok, vanlig bok
Nor: bøk
Nob: bøk
Nno: bøk
Fin: euroopanpyökki
Ita: faggio
Por: faia, faia-comum, faia-europeia
Fra: hêtre, hêtre commun, fayard, hêtre européen
Lav: parastais dižsk
Sme: beaika
Cym: ffawydd, ffawydden
Gla: faidhbhile, faidhbhilean
En: Beech, European beech, Common beech, Buche, European beech, common beech, Buck
Ar: زان أوروبي
An: Fabo
Hy: Հաճարենի անտառային
Az: Meşə fıstığı
Eu: Pago arrunt
Be: Бук лясны
Br: Faou
Bg: Обикновен бук
Ca: Faig
Zh: 欧洲山毛榉
Kw: Fow
Co: Faiu
Hr: Bukva
Cs: Buk lesní
Da: Almindelig Bøg, Bøg
Nl: Beuk, Gewone Beuk, Groene Beuk
Eo: Eŭropa fago
Et: Harilik pöök
Fo: Bók
Fi: Euroopanpyökki, Pyökki, Lehtopyökki
Fr: Hêtre commun, Hêtre, Fayard, Hêtre européen, Fouteau
Gl: Faia
De: Gewöhnliche Buche, Rotbuche, Rot-Buche, Buchbaum, Buche
El: Δασική οξιά
He: אשור אירופי
Hu: Európai bükk
Is: Skógarbeyki
Ga: Feá
It: Faggio, Faggio comune
Ko: 유럽너도밤나무
Lv: Eiropas dižskābardis, Parastais dižsk
Li: Beuk
Lt: Paprastasis bukas
Lb: Routbuch
Mk: Европска бука
Ml: ഫാഗസ് സിൽവറ്റിക്ക
Se: Beaika
No: Bøk
Nb: Bøk
Nn: Bøk
Oc: Fau europèu
Fa: راش اروپایی
Pl: Buk zwyczajny
Pt: Faia-europeia, Faia, Faia-comum
Pt-br: Faia-europeia
Qu: Iwrupa haya
Ro: Fag
Rm: Fau verd
Ru: Бук европейский
Sc: Fau
Gd: Faidhbhile, Faidhbhilean
Sr: Буква / Bukva
Sk: Buk lesný
Es: Haya, Bukev, Faya
Sv: Bok, Bøk, Euroopanpyökki, Rödbok, Vanlig bok
Zh-tw: 歐洲山毛櫸
Zh-hant: 歐洲山毛櫸
Tr: Avrupa kayını
Uk: Бук лісовий
Vi: Dẻ gai châu Âu
Cy: Ffawydden ffawydd, Ffawydd, Ffawydden
Synonyms
- Fagus sylvatica var. atropunicea (Weston)
- Fagus sylvestris (Gaertn.)
- Fagus sylvatica f. roseomarginatis (Dippel)
- Fagus tortuosa ((Dippel) F.Boden)
- Fagus sylvatica var. purpurea (Aiton)
- Fagus sylvatica var. suentelensis (Schelle)
- Fagus sylvatica var. grandidentata (Dippel)
- Fagus sylvatica var. cristata (Dum.Cours.)
- Fagus sylvatica var. variegata (Dippel)
- Fagus sylvatica var. pyramidalis (Dippel)
- Fagus sylvatica var. laciniata (Vignet)
- Fagus sylvatica pendula ((Dum.Cours.) Lodd.)
- Fagus sylvatica var. remillyensis ((Simon-Louis) A.Henry)
- Fagus sylvatica var. coriacea (Wallr.)
- Fagus sylvatica pendula-purpurea (Graebener)
- Fagus laciniata (A.DC.)
- Fagus cochleata ((Dippel) Domin)
- Fagus sylvatica var. zlatia (Späth ex E.Goeze)
- Fagus sylvatica var. aspleniifolia (Dum.Cours.)
- Fagus sylvatica var. pendula (Dum.Cours.)
- Fagus sylvatica f. quercifolia (C.K.Schneid.)
- Fagus sylvatica var. latifolia (Loudon)
- Fagus sylvatica var. sanguinea (Amo)
- Fagus echinata (Gilib.)
- Fagus sylvatica f. retroflexa (Dippel)
- Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea ((Aiton) Schelle)
- Fagus purpurea var. roseomarginata (Cripps)
- Fagus sylvatica f. aureovariegata (C.K.Schneid.)
- Fagus sylvatica rotundifolia (Jackman)
- Fagus sylvatica rohanii (Körb.)
- Fagus sylvatica var. heterophylla (Loudon)
- Fagus sylvatica f. aspleniifolia ((Dum.Cours.) C.K.Schneid.)
- Fagus sylvatica var. quercoides (Pers.)
- Fagus sylvatica f. zlatia ((Späth ex E.Goeze) Schelle)
- Fagus sylvatica f. salicifolia (Dippel)
- Fagus sylvatica f. luteovariegata ((Weston) Domin)
- Fagus purpurea tricolor ((Simon-Louis ex K.Koch) Pynaert)
- Fagus sylvatica var. tortuosa (Pépin)
- Fagus sylvatica var. vulgaris (Aiton)
- Fagus sylvatica var. purpureopendula (H.Jaeger)
- Fagus sylvatica subsp. sanguinea ((Rchb.) Arcang.)
- Castanea fagus (Scop.)
- Fagus sylvatica f. atropunicea ((Weston) Domin)
- Fagus aspleniifolia ((Dum.Cours.) Raf.)
- Fagus purpurea ((Aiton) Dum.Cours.)
- Fagus sylvatica remillyensis (Simon-Louis)
- Fagus sylvatica var. luteovariegata (Weston)
- Fagus incisa (Dippel)
- Fagus sylvatica f. laciniata ((Vignet) Domin)
- Fagus sylvatica f. purpureopendula ((H.Jaeger) Rehder)
- Fagus sylvatica f. tricolor (Simon-Louis ex K.Koch)
- Fagus sylvatica purpurea-pendula (Van Geert)
- Fagus sylvatica var. aenea (Dum.Cours.)
- Fagus sylvatica var. miltonensis (A.Henry)
- Fagus sylvatica f. roseomarginata ((Cripps) Domin)
- Fagus sylvatica var. quercifolia ((C.K.Schneid.) Geerinck)
- Fagus sylvatica var. albovariegata (Weston)
- Fagus sylvatica f. fastigiata (Simon-Louis ex K.Koch)
- Fagus sylvatica f. tortuosa ((Pépin) Hegi)
- Fagus sylvatica f. rotundifolia ((Jackman) Rehder)
- Fagus sylvatica f. bornyensis (Simon-Louis ex Beissn.)
- Fagus sylvatica f. cristata ((Dum.Cours.) Schelle)
- Fagus sylvatica var. foliis-striatis (Dippel)
- Fagus sylvatica f. pendula ((Dum.Cours.) Schelle)
- Fagus sylvatica f. rohanii ((Körb.) C.K.Schneid.)
- Fagus sylvatica var. colorata (A.DC.)
- Fagus sylvatica f. albovariegata ((Weston) Domin)
- Fagus sylvatica f. quercoides ((Pers.) Aug.DC.)
- Fagus sylvatica var. suntalensis (Beissn.)
- Fagus cuprea (Hurter ex A.DC.)
- Fagus sylvatica var. cochleata (Dippel)
- Fagus sylvatica purpurea-latifolia (Jacob-Makoy)
- Fagus comptoniifolia (Desf.)
Distribution
- Albania (native)
- Austria (native)
- Baltic States (native)
- Belgium (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Corse (native)
- Czechoslovakia (native)
- Denmark (native)
- East European Russia (native)
- France (native)
- Germany (native)
- Great Britain (native)
- Greece (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Italy (native)
- Krym (native)
- Netherlands (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- Norway (native)
- Poland (native)
- Romania (native)
- Sicilia (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sweden (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Transcaucasus (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- New York (introduced)
Additional Images
Leaf
Taken Sep 5, 2021 by Jörg D (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 10, 2020 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 27, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 27, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 1, 2020 by Nathalie Mabboux (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Fruit
Taken Sep 13, 2018 by Dieter Albrecht (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 10, 2020 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 5, 2021 by Jörg D (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 27, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 24, 2019 by zickzacksuzie (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Nov 27, 2021 by Annemarie Ahrens-Stehle (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 2, 2008 by Dieter Albrecht (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 5, 2021 by Jörg D (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 13, 2020 by pieter v (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 4, 2019 by fio’ (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Sep 5, 2021 by Jörg D (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 27, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 14, 2019 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 2, 2008 by Dieter Albrecht (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 3, 2017 by David Horcajada Tejero (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Sep 23, 2022 by Laure (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 10, 2020 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 27, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 30, 2021 by Ernst Fürst (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 30, 2020 by Jiří Vilím (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken May 8, 2022 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 2, 2020 by Werner Rom (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 26, 2020 by Cathy Codino (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 28, 2007 by Tela Botanica − Michel POURCHET (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 27, 2019 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2882316)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:305836-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Fagus sylvatica L.)
Specifications
Growth habit: Tree
Growth
Ph maximum: 5.5
Ph minimum: 5.0
Light: 7
Atmospheric humidity: 7
Bloom months: [‘apr’, ‘may’]
Soil nutriments: 5