Lecture1aFagaceae Fagus

Fagaceae Click to hear the
pronunciation.
Distribution
North America, Asia, Chile,

Australia and New Zealand
8 genera and ~ 1000 species
Important members
Beeches – Fagus
Oaks – Quercus
Chestnuts – Castanea
Southern Beech – Nothofagus
Castinopsis
Lithocarpus
Fagaceae
Characteristics
Deciduous and evergreen woody plants.
Quercus
virginiana
Northofagus
Fagaceae
Characteristics
Leaves are simple with either an entire
or lobed leaf margin.
Quercus Quercus Castanea

Fagaceae
Characteristics
Fagus
Leaf arrangement is alternate.

Fagaceae
Characteristics
Flowers are unisexual catkins.
Fagus Quercus Castanea

Fagaceae
Characteristics
Fruits are nuts within a cup.
Castanea Fagus Quercus

Fagaceae
Economic uses
Timber – Oak wood is used for

specialized construction, woodworking
and cooperage.
Quercus alba – White oak

Fagaceae
Economic uses
Timber – white oak is the principle
wood in oak barrels used by the wine
and liquor industry.
Slats of wood waiting to be

formed into barrels.
White oak (Quercus alba) being

fired to char the barrel. Charring
adds color during ageing. Assembling a barrel.
Fagaceae
Economic uses
The Mediterranean oak bark is the
major source of natural cork. The
bark is stripped from trees
primarily growing in Spain, Portugal
and Morocco.
Quercus suber – Mediterranean cork oak

Fagaceae
Economic uses
Chestnuts are an example of edible
nuts from this family. They are
commonly roasted as a seasonal
treat.
Castanea mollisima – Chinese chestnut Castanea sativa – Sweet chestnut

Fagaceae
Economic uses
Nuts are an important food

source for wildlife.
In wildlife ecology, this is

referred to as mast.
In some places, acorn mast

can comprise up to 50% of
the fall diet for some birds
and mammals.
Fagus Click to hear the
pronunciation.
Fagus grandifolia – American beech
American beech is a distinctive and

elegant forest tree in Kentucky.
Its genus name, Fagus, is derived

from the Latin word phagus,
meaning to eat, and refers to its
nutritious, edible nuts.
Its natural habitat are rich, well-

drained upland woods of eastern
North America.
American beech‟s graceful,

spreading form is attractive
throughout the year.
Fagus
Growth habit - Broad, spreading
crown can be 50 feet wide; short
trunk.
Tree size - 70 feet in height.
Fagus
Flower - Small male and female flowers
bloom on the same plant but in separate
clusters.
Female
flower
Male flowers
Fagus
Fruit - female flowers become brown, bristly-husked fruit containing
three polished, edible nuts.
Capsule
Nuts
Fagus
Leaf - 4-inch ovate leaves are
smooth, glossy dark-green above
and pale below.
Up to 15 prominent, parallel veins,

each ending with a sharp tooth at
the margin.
Fagus
Leaf - Fall color is clear yellow, gold or
bronze.
Like oak, beech holds on to its bottom

leaves throughout winter and remains
attractive as it is sun-bleached.
Fagus
Culture:
American beech demands deep,

rich, very well-drained soil with a
pH of 5 to 6.5.
It prefers full sun but will tolerate

shade.
Because beech is a surface-feeder

it enjoys a high water table.
Fagus
Uses:
American beech is a large stately

tree that can be used as a specimen
tree where space permits.
It is also used in woodland plantings

where there is appropriate
moisture.
American beech is difficult to

produce as a nursery tree and is less
available than the easier to grow
European beech.
Hardy in zones 9-4.

Fagus
Beech drops (Epifagus) is

an interesting plant
parasite that is exclusive
to beech.
It is a root parasite that

attaches to the beech‟s
root system to acquire
nutrition.
Once a year, leafless

flowering stems appear
around the plants.
Fagus Click to hear the
pronunciation.
Fagus sylvatica – European beech
European beech‟s species name,

sylvatica, refers to it being “of
the woods.”
It is a common forest tree in

Europe where it is also cultivated
as a valuable timber crop.
Usually seen as one of many

cultivars.
Fagus
Growth habit - This species has a

broad, spreading crown that can be
40 feet wide with branches to the
ground.
Tree size - This long-lived tree can
reach 70 feet in height or more.
Fagus
Flower - Small male and female
flowers bloom on the same plant but
in separate clusters.
Female
Male
Fagus
Fruit - Brown, bristly-

husked 1-inch fruit contain
one to three highly
polished, edible nuts borne
singly on a short, upright,
fuzzy stem.
Fagus
Leaf - These 4-inch ovate leaves

unfold in May covered with silky
hairs before turning smooth, glossy
dark-green above and pale below.
Leaves have 5 to 10 prominent,

parallel veins, a wavy margin and
gold fall color.
Fagus
Culture:
European beech needs full sun and

deep, rich, well-drained sandy loam
with a pH of 5 to 6.5.
Water European beech during dry

periods.
Hardy in zones 7-4.

Fagus
Uses:
European beech makes a stately

specimen tree where space
permits.
This tree is on the Henry Clay

Estate in Lexington, KY.
Fagus
Uses:
The attractive bark and

exposed roots can add to
its winter interest.
This tree is a specimen

tree used as the feature
in a courtyard at
Dumbarton Oaks in
Georgetown, Washington
DC.
Fagus
Uses:
European beech is also

amenable to pruning and
can be used as a hedge.
Here a purple-leaved form

provides an architectural
background for a featured
art piece in the Donald
Kendall Sculpture Gardens
located at the PepsiCo
headquarters in Purchase,
New York.
Fagus
Uses:
Individual specimen beech pruned into columns to line a long driveway.

Fagus
Uses:
European beech is one of

the species that can be
made into a pleached arbor.
Pleaching is the bending

and intertwining of
branches to form an aerial
hedge, arbor, allee, or
tunnel.
Fagus
Uses:
European beech can also be used to make a tapestry hedge. A tapestry hedge is
made up of plants with different colored leaves and leaf textures. This beech
tapestry hedge is used to form an outdoor room at Hidcote Manor in England.
Fagus
Uses:
Tapestry hedges may be

made from different
species growing together.
However, in the case of

European beech, there
are so many cultivars
with different leaf
colors, textures and
sizes, a tapestry hedge
can be made using just
European beech cultivars.
Fagus
Cultivars
Cultivars of European
beech vary in plant habit,
leaf color, and shape.
Fagus sylvatica „Pendula‟

Fagus
Cultivars
„Pendula‟ is a
popular pendulous
weeping form.
Some examples
have a wonderful
asymmetric form.
Fagus
Cultivars
Other „Pendula‟ plants form a symmetrical mound-like outline.

Fagus
Cultivars
„ Dawyck‟ or „Fastigiata‟ is an
upright growing form.
Mature plants growing in

Europe can be over 70 feet
tall.
Fagus
Cultivars
„Dawyck Purple‟ is an upright,

fastigiate form with dark
purple leaves.
Mature plants can be over 60

feet tall.
Fagus
Cultivars
„Purpurea Pendla‟ is a slow growing pendulous form with purple leaves. It is
used as a specimen plant for a small garden space.
Fagus
Cultivars
„Torulosa‟ is a slow growing

contorted form.
Example from a low graft. Example from a higher graft that is

grown as a standard.
Fagus
Cultivars
„Purpurea‟ is the purple-leaved

beech. It comes somewhat true
from seed and therefore
numerous forms have been
selected.
„Cuprea‟ is the copper beech and

comprises purple-leaf beech
plants with a lighter purple leaf
color.
Most „Purpurea‟ and „Cuprea‟

plants have leaves that fade from
purple to green as the season
progresses.
A large copper beech in the Netherlands.
Fagus
Cultivars
„Riversii‟ is a purple-leaved
beech that holds its color
longer into the season.
It has a very dark purple leaf

in the spring.
Fagus
Cultivars
„Rohanii ‟ is a purple-leaved
beech that has a wavy leaf
margin.
Fagus
Cultivars
„Asplenifolia‟ is the fern-leaf beech.
These large trees present a feathery
appearance because the narrow leaves
have deep, finely cut lobes.
Fagus
Cultivars
„Rotundifolia‟ is a green-leaf type with an entire, rounded leaf.

Fagus
Cultivars
There are several variegated

leaf forms including the unusual
„Marmorata ‟ with streaks of
white on a green background.
Fagus
Cultivars
„Tricolor‟ (also „Roseomarginata‟ and „Purple
Tricolor‟) is a popular variegated cultivar with
an irregular purple center and an outer pink
margin.
Usually grown with some shade to prevent

the light colored leaf edge from scorching.
Fagus
Cultivars
Depending on the reference „Roseomarginata‟ is
distinct from „Purple Tricolor‟ based on the
color and regularity of the marginal variegation.
However, most sources consider them to be the
same cultivar. In the nursery trade, they are
sold simply under the name „Tricolor‟.

Lecture1aFagaceae Fagus

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Fagaceae Click to hear the

North America, Asia, Chile,

8 genera and ~ 1000 species

Deciduous and evergreen woody plants.

Quercus Quercus Castanea

Leaf arrangement is alternate.

Fagus Quercus Castanea

Castanea Fagus Quercus

Timber – Oak wood is used for

Quercus alba – White oak

Slats of wood waiting to be

White oak (Quercus alba) being

Quercus suber – Mediterranean cork oak

Castanea mollisima – Chinese chestnut Castanea sativa – Sweet chestnut

Nuts are an important food

In wildlife ecology, this is

In some places, acorn mast

Fagus grandifolia – American beech

American beech is a distinctive and

Its genus name, Fagus, is derived

Its natural habitat are rich, well-

American beech‟s graceful,

Up to 15 prominent, parallel veins,

Like oak, beech holds on to its bottom

American beech demands deep,

It prefers full sun but will tolerate

Because beech is a surface-feeder

American beech is a large stately

It is also used in woodland plantings

American beech is difficult to

Hardy in zones 9-4.

Beech drops (Epifagus) is

It is a root parasite that

Once a year, leafless

Fagus sylvatica – European beech

European beech‟s species name,

It is a common forest tree in

Usually seen as one of many

Growth habit - This species has a

Fruit - Brown, bristly-

Leaf - These 4-inch ovate leaves

Leaves have 5 to 10 prominent,

European beech needs full sun and

Water European beech during dry

Hardy in zones 7-4.

European beech makes a stately

This tree is on the Henry Clay

The attractive bark and

This tree is a specimen

European beech is also

Here a purple-leaved form

Individual specimen beech pruned into columns to line a long driveway.

European beech is one of

Pleaching is the bending

Tapestry hedges may be

However, in the case of

Fagus sylvatica „Pendula‟

Other „Pendula‟ plants form a symmetrical mound-like outline.

Mature plants growing in

„Dawyck Purple‟ is an upright,

Mature plants can be over 60

„Torulosa‟ is a slow growing