Beech is a forest tree which grows both in North America and in Europe. Its thin, papery leaves turn gold-colored in the autumn. The twigs are slender and have spear-shaped buds at their tips. The male and female flowers of the beech tree are separate. The male flowers are in globe-shaped heads, the female in short, erect spikes. A bur covers the triangular nut, which is good to eat.
The American beech grows 50 to 75 feet (15 to 23 meters) high. A fungus began attacking beech trees in Nova Scotia about 1900. The fungus spread and now poses a serious threat to beech trees in Quebec and the Northeastern United States.
Beechwood is hard, close-grained, and tough. It is used to make furniture, tool handles, and veneer. It is a good fuel. The beech family also includes oaks and chestnuts.
