BEECH / SPRING / SUMMER / AUTUMN / EDIBLE
COMMON NAMES
Common Beech, European Beech
BOTANICAL NAME
Fagus sylvatica
SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom – Plantae
Order – Fagales
Family – Fagaceae
Genus – Fagus
KNOWN HAZARDS
There is some evidence to suggest that they shouldn’t be eaten in large quantities as they are toxic to some people.
COULD BE CONFUSED WITH…
Large leaved lime Tilia platyphyllos perhaps but the leaves of this tree are also edible.
RANGE AND DISTRIBUTION
Very common throughout the UK. It is the dominant tree in the woodlands of Southern and Central England.
HABITAT
They prefer well drained, slightly acidic soils.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Stems/Bark
They have smooth silver/grey bark.
Leaves
The leaves are lime green, with wavy edges. They are around 5-10 cm long, grow in alternate pairs and are simple. It is slow to lose its leaves, quite often holding them until the following spring.
Flowers
Beeches are monoecious, bearing both male and female flowers. The female flowers grow in pairs and the male flowers produce catkins.
Seeds/Fruit
The nuts or masts are egg shaped and bristly. They open to reveal 1-3 triangular nuts. The quantity of nuts varies massively from year to year.
EDIBLE USES
The young, fresh leaves can be nibbled raw or added to salads.
The leaves are also used to make Noyau a delicious alcoholic beverage.
The nuts or masts were commonly fed to livestock and when roasted make a good coffee substitute, they can also be eaten raw, simply peel off the outer shell.
They can also be pressed to make oil.