| Elephants of Our Forest |
| Location: Between Conard
Learning Center and Eisenhower |
| Do the distinctive smooth, gray
trunks of the American Beech remind you of elephant legs? A
slow-growing native deciduous tree, the American Beech reaches its
greatest size in the alluvial soils (soils deposited by water) of the
Ohio and Mississippi River valleys, and may live as long as 400
years. Its scientific name is Fagus
grandifolia and it belongs to the Beech Family, the Fagaceae,
which also includes the Oaks and Chestnut. With a dense, broadly spreading crown and its height up to 80 feet, this is a very impressive tree of the deciduous forest. It has alternate simple leaves that are 2 to 5 inches in length, with parallel secondary veins and sharp teeth on the edges. The twigs are zigzag and have very long, slender buds that are easily identified even in winter. But the smooth, gray bark is the feature that makes American Beech stand apart from other trees in our forest. The trunks frequently become hollow and provide homes for raccoons and birds. This does not affect the tree’s ability to transport water because the functional water-carrying tissue (xylem) is in the outer 2 to 3 inches of the wood, just under the bark. Xylem cells in the middle of the tree are packed with waste materials and no longer transport water. Lumber from beech trees can be used for flooring, furniture, veneer, plywood, railroad ties and other items. Its small, triangular winged nuts are eaten by people and are also important food for wildlife. The wild turkeys on our campus really like the beech nuts. Flowers of the American Beech bloom in late April or early May. The fruits ripen, usually from September to November. In autumn the American Beech leaves turn a golden brown. Leaves on younger trees often remain through the winter. -- Brandi Stover
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