Fagus sylvatica or common beech is a species of tall deciduous tree belonging to the Fagaceae family. Beech forests are known as beech or beech, being common in cool and humid climates in central and southeastern Europe..
The erect growth trunk can reach up to 40 m in height, the smooth bark is grayish in color and the horizontal branches form a dense crown. The simple and alternate leaves are elliptical in shape, 5-10 cm long, with entire margins and evident veins..
The male flowers grow in hanging catkins and the female ones are arranged in small groups on short peduncles. The fruits, known as beechnuts, are protected by a bristly capsule that houses 2-3 tetrahedral seeds inside..
The foliage is distinguished by its bright dark green color during spring, however, when autumn arrives it takes on an attractive yellow-orange or reddish-brown color. Its ideal habitat is located in mountainous environments, with a cool and hazy climate, with periodic summer rainfall and between 700-1,600 meters above sea level..
The common beech in its natural environment forms extensive monospecific forests, known as beech trees, although it can be associated with other tall tree species. In addition to its ornamental value, it has traditionally been used in carpentry due to the quality of its wood, being ideal for making furniture, agricultural tools and musical instruments..
On the other hand, its seeds or beechnuts are considered nuts, eaten raw or toasted, due to their high energy intake. The presence of various active principles in the bark, leaves and seeds favors its use in traditional medicine due to its antipyretic, balsamic and antiseptic properties..
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Tall tree, straight and slightly branched trunk, dense and oval crown in its upper third, reaching 35-40 m in height. The forest specimens have a cylindrical bearing, however, isolated trees or surrounded by other species present conical bearing with an open and irregular crown..
The long, erect growth trunk has a smooth, ashy-colored bark with numerous globular protrusions known as sphero-blasts. Various species of lichens develop on its surface, giving the bark a mottled appearance of various colors..
Simple and alternate leaves, oval or elliptical, with wavy and scalloped margins, sharp apex, wedged base and short petiole, 7-10 cm long. They are bright green on the upper side, less intense on the underside, when autumn arrives they acquire brown, reddish and ocher tones..
Beeches are monoecious plants, whose flowering occurs in the months of April and May, before full leaf development. The male flowers are grouped in globular inflorescences in a terminal position on a long and hanging peduncle. The female yellowish-green and tomentose are arranged in 2-3 groups on a short and erect peduncle..
The fruit is a triangular achene of brown color 2-3 cm long, commonly known as hayuco. They develop inside a woody dome similar in appearance to a hedgehog, but with soft spines that, when mature, leave 2-3 seeds free..
Beechnuts have a high content of starch, aleurones and oily compounds, being a very nutritious food for human or animal consumption. It is used as a nutritional supplement for livestock, an oil is even extracted for industrial use, however, its high consumption can cause intestinal disorders.
The common beech contains in its composition various active principles that provide certain benefits at a medicinal and industrial level. The bark contains 3-4% tannins, organic acids and betulosides.
The leaves have pigments such as idalin, pentosan, methylpentosan, and certain flavonoids such as quercetoside. In addition, it has creosol, cresolin, guaiac, florol and tannin.
The seeds or beechnuts are used as a nutritional supplement for the fattening of cattle and pigs. Likewise, an oil used industrially for burning and baking is extracted from the seeds, since it does not usually get rancid.
The leaves are used in traditional medicine to treat ailments of the respiratory system, such as colds, bronchitis, pharyngitis and flu symptoms in general. Similarly, it is used to relieve toothaches, diarrhea, and to regulate blood and circulatory system disorders..
The dry distillation of branches and leaves makes it possible to obtain a phenolic compound called creosote, with antiseptic and balsamic properties. Its consumption is contraindicated in patients with arthritis problems and disorders in the urinary system or kidney..
Indeed, phenolic compounds act as effective antiseptics. In addition, common beech extracts are used for their astringent, analgesic, antipyretic, antidiarrheal, antitussive, expectorant and healing action..
The species Fagus sylvatica It is a large tree that is very common in mountainous areas in southern Europe and the Iberian Peninsula. However, its center of origin is located in central and eastern Europe..
It grows on a wide variety of soils, preferably loamy, fertile, well drained and of calcareous origin. The beech has a high rate of transpiration, so it requires abundant atmospheric humidity, semi-shade, cool temperatures and high precipitation.
In climactic environments the species usually grows pure, however, in mountain areas its association with certain deciduous species is frequent. It is located from sea level to 2,000 meters above sea level, and in the upper limits it is associated in mixed forests with firs, oaks and pines..
The horizontal arrangement of its branches associated with its rapid growth, favors the formation of pure forests where the development of other tree species is difficult. Except for clearings and forest margins, or species such as holly and yew that tolerate certain shading conditions.
On the other hand, the decomposition of remains of branches, leaves and fruits under its canopy generates the accumulation of compounds that inhibit the growth of other species. In fact, an allelopathic effect occurs, which is avoided by some species that grow rapidly before you have fully developed their leaves..
Regarding their geographical distribution, beech trees are located throughout central and southeastern Europe. The southernmost places are Sicily on the Italian peninsula and the ports of Beceite and Hayedo de Montejo on the Iberian peninsula..
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Subclass: Hamamelidae
- Order: Fagales
- Family: Fagaceae
- Gender: Fagus
- Species: Fagus sylvatica L.
- Fagus: the name of the Latin genus comes from the ancient Greek "φηγός = phēgós" which means "oak of edible acorns". .
- sylvatica: the specific adjective derives from the Latin "sylvaticus-a-um" which means "wild" or "the one that grows in the woods".
- Fagus albovariegata Weston, Bot. Univ. 1: 107 (1770)
- Fagus luteovariegata Weston, Bot. Univ. 1: 107 (1770)
- Castanea fagus Scop., Fl. Carniol., Ed. 2, 2: 242 (1772)
- Fagus sylvestris Gaertn., Fruct. Sem. Pl. 1: 182 (1788)
- Fagus echinata Gilib., Excerc. Phyt. 2: 396 (1792), opus utique oppr.
- Fagus aenea Dum. Cours., Bot. Cult., Ed. 2, 6: 415 (1811)
- Fagus asplenifolia Dum. Cours., Bot. Cult., Ed. 2, 6: 415 (1811)
- Fagus cristata Dum. Cours., Bot. Cult., Ed. 2, 6: 415 (1811)
- Fagus pendula Dum. Cours., Bot. Cult., Ed. 2, 6: 415 (1811)
- Fagus purpurea Dum. Cours., Bot. Cult., Ed. 2, 6: 415 (1811)
- Fagus comptoniifolia Desf., Tabl. École Bot., Ed. 2: 269 (1815)
- Fagus cuprea Hurter ex A. DC. in A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 16 (2): 119 (1864)
- Fagus laciniata A.DC. in A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 16 (2): 119 (1864), pro syn.
- Fagus salicifolia A.DC. in A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 16 (2): 119 (1864)
- Fagus variegata A.DC. in A. P. de Candolle, Prodr. 16 (2): 119 (1864)
- Fagus quercoides (Pers.) Dippel, Handb. Laubholzk. 2:51 (1891)
- Fagus crispa Dippel, Handb. Laubholzk. 2:52 (1892)
- Fagus cucullata Dippel, Handb. Laubholzk. 2:52 (1892)
- Incised fagus Dippel, Handb. Laubholzk. 2:51 (1892)
- Fagus purpurea var. roseomarginata Cripps, Gard. Chron., III, 12: 669 (1892)
- Fagus cochleata (Dippel) Domin, Bull. Int. Acad. Tchéque Sci., Cl. Sci. Math. - Nat. Méd. 33: 70 (1932)
- Tortuous fagus (Dippel) Domin, Bull. Int. Acad. Tchéque Sci., Cl. Sci. Math. Nat. Med. 33: 72 (1932), pro syn
- Albovariegata: variety characterized by its green leaves with yellow margins. It has been reported in Germany at an altitude level of 50-200 meters above sea level..
- Asplenifolia: the leaves are characterized by their incised-lobed margins, the leaves turn a deep yellow color in the fall.
- Atropunicea or Atropurpurea: variety characterized by its hairy deciduous leaves with wavy edges, purple or intense red coloration during spring, less intense during summer.
- Fastigiata: columnar variety that does not exceed 20 meters high and 3 m wide.
- Pendula: variety of hanging branches that does not grow more than 25 m in height. At maturity, the crown of the tree forms a very attractive dome..
- Purple Fountain or Purpurea Pendula: pendulous variety, characterized by its foliage of reddish tones, it can become very intense, almost black in color during the vegetative phase..
- Pyramidalis: the cup is pyramidal in shape.
- Tortuous: its branches have a tortuous or curved growth.
- Variegata: leaves characterized by tricolor foliage.
Beeches are easily multiplied through fresh seeds collected directly from the tree. The sowing can be established during the winter, in order that the seeds become stratified with the winter cold, and germination begins during the spring.
Otherwise, to establish the sowing during the spring, the seeds must be stratified for 2-3 months at less than 6 ºC of temperature. It is advisable to keep the seeds in a container with vermiculite or perlite in the lower part of the refrigerator..
It is essential to keep the humidity of the container and aerate its contents every 8 days, and thus avoid deterioration of the seeds. When spring arrives, the seeds are sown in seedbeds under greenhouse conditions, using a substrate for acidic plants..
Adequate conditions of semi-shade, humidity and temperature favor germination in late spring. The seedlings will be ready for transplantation next year, being convenient to sow when the risk of frost has passed.
The common beech is a very resistant plant, which adapts to precise conditions of temperate or continental climate of strong cold with high humidity. It tolerates frosts down to -18 ºC, but it does not adapt to tropical climates, its ideal range being between -18 ºC and 30 ºC.
It should be located in open spaces, in full sun exposure or partial shade. In Mediterranean areas it is important to protect it from strong sea winds, since in these conditions it is susceptible to losing its foliage easily..
It is not advisable to sow near construction sites, roads, paved soils, pipes or drains, due to its strong superficial root system. It requires soils with a sandy or clayey texture, well drained but retaining sufficient moisture, slightly acidic and fertile..
The frequency of irrigation depends on the type of soil where the crop is established, as well as the temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation and precipitation conditions. The common beech is a tree that does not tolerate drought, it is also susceptible to waterlogging of the ground.
During the summer and in the early stages of development it is necessary to apply frequent watering, preventing the substrate from drying out completely. The rest of the year, the frequency of watering can be reduced, as long as the plant does not show signs of moisture deficit.
As for the subscriber, both in its initial growth phase and during the productive phase, the common beech requires a good supply of nutrients. The nutritional deficit can promote a greater susceptibility to attack by insects or pathogens such as fungi, bacteria or viruses that cause diseases.
The common beech is attacked by different pests and pathogens that affect the bark, leaves, flowers and quality of the seeds. Among the insects the beetle mining beetle stands out (Rhynchaenus fagi) that feeds on the bark, leaves and pollen of flowers.
As well as the larvae of the brown-tailed lizard butterfly (Euproctis chrysorrhoea) that feeds on the leaves and tender shoots. Among the fungi, the basidiomycetes stand out Ganoderma applanatum, Fomes connatus Y Ungulina marginata causing the disease known as amazement or red heart.
On young branches it is common the presence of fungi that weaken their development, produces cankers, wilts and progressive death. Among them are the coral stain (Nectria cinnabarina) and bark rot (Nectria coccinea).
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