You are providing a great service to all of us (myself included) who wish we knew more of our native flora when we're in the woods. Short concise and accurate, doesn't get better than that! Keep them coming!
You'll see many of these growing near the Potomac river. Rather large ones, too. Although I did it myself as a kid, It's disrespectful to carve into them. It could even expose it to disease.
when you see beech trees in a forest you can be sure that the forest has a grand daddy/mammy giant beech tree somewhere maybe 2, if you find a forest with nothing but beech trees that means its really old, because ultimately the forest will become all beech trees as they are the most shade tolerant, they will bide their time waiting for the hickories the tuliptrees the oaks to all die then take over the forest, unless there is something like a fire then they dont do to well
Great, informative video. I learned a lot. As a kid we called them elephant trees. We thought their bark was like elephant skin. Thank you for all the great information.
Thank you very much for your easy going videos! Truly helpful all the information and details in learning about nature and trees. Best of luck in all your work.
Beech may not be good for ground contact, but it makes some unbelievably hard, strong lumber tough on blades and is excellent firewood. I live in a beech tree grove, which is rare in my section of SC. Might want to mention that they are very slow growing trees very large ones can be well over 300 years old.
I grew up in MO where there r no American beech. Now in MA, the tree with that lovely smooth bark (& scarring w/crazed ppl) sets in the local park. It’s huge with roots showing above ground. The top is lollipop shaped. I thought it was an exotic plant from who knows where. I love it.
We have one in our yard in northern Utah, which I believe is pretty rare? Our grandma planted it and this one has no nuts? I’am I right in thinking it is rare in Ut?
We love our majestic Beech tree so much! As frequent visitors to Hershey Gardens, it is very disappointing to see all of the defacing of its beautiful, towering Beech. Let's do all we can to protect & care for our trees! Thanks, Ryan@
@@Ralphyoder-q3v Its like nobody cares. The ash family is being decimated and there is very few mention anywhere. the American White Elm, the American Chestnut, the butternut. I could go on and on. Very sad.
this looks identical to aspen to me (poplar) how do you tell them apart? aspen is quite soft compared to beech is it not, and beech is a viable firewood where aspen isnt?
The bark should be a pretty good clue; both trembling and bigtooth aspen have white-gray bark that has prominent lenticels (warty bumps that are gas exchange pores), whereas American beech bark is super smooth even at maturity (unless it's infected with beech bark disease). Aspen buds are pointy like beech buds, but are much more stout and short. Beyond bark, the leaves are quite different and you should be able to be somewhat confident when looking at leaves on the ground because it's unlikely that beech and aspen would be growing amongst each other; beech is a more mature forest species and aspen is a pioneer. Hope that helps!
@@forestsforthebay4784 it does help, we dont have much beech around here mostly aspen, hard to tell the younger trees apart, the aspen bark is completely smooth and a greenish colour until it gets to about 10" or bigger and then the gray textured bark starts to move up the tree from the base eastern canada in march though everything on the ground is covered in snow and everything is after falling off the trees, only thing i can go by really is the bark, maybe if they had a big difference in sprouts/branch formation
Great video, thanks. Now I don't quite understand how smooth bark gives the beech more photosynthetic potential, while it's under the canopy. Does the bark itself have chlorophyll and photosynthesize?
Good question! If you see green, there's chlorophyll! Right under the bark there's a little bit, that I imagine over the tree and over the years adds up.
Made it here by way of a web search as to why so many trees are dying or being cut down here in eastern CT. I learned so much by watching this in full. Dropping a sub. Thank you!
We have stands of nearly pure beech on our place in TN. It has little commercial value so loggers leave it plus small beech trees can live in the understory for years, ready to reach for the sun when there is an opening in the canopy. Having a head start, they can out compete oaks and poplar, especially in the absence of fire.
Did not know those nuts were edible I actually have three of these giant sized 100+ year old trees in my backyard. Those nuts get everywhere and I usually rake up about 2 trash pales full of those spike nuts all over the backyard in the Fall.
cool I woudl collect them and do the chestnut test, if the nuts float throw them out they probably had worms inside hollowed out the nut, of course remove the tiny husks before you do the water test, or all of them will float
Expert: All beech trees in Connecticut will die (8/9/23) by: Ashley Baylor Posted: Aug 9, 2023 / 06:26 PM EDT Updated: Aug 10, 2023 / 03:23 AM EDT HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH) - Connecticut’s state parks are home to groves of beech trees. Typically, they provide a lush, shady canopy but you’ll notice a lot of branches and leaves missing from the trees at Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden. That’s because thousands of beech trees across Connecticut are infected with beech tree disease, endangering them all. Arborists suggest this disease could wipe out not only every beech tree in the state, but every beech tree in the country. “I have not seen a beech tree uninfected,” said licensed arborist Dan Poole. This disease is caused by microscopic worms that settle into the beech leaves, and there are thousands per tree. Poole is an arborist for K&J Tree Service, and the resident expert on beech leaf disease. He says the rapid spread of this disease has stunned both arborists and scientists. “They first suspected that it was carried by birds landing on branches, or chipmunks, or squirrels, but now, they don’t know why or how it is spreading so rapidly,” Poole said. “There is expected to be a 100 percent mortality rate of every beech tree in Connecticut, every beech tree in the northeast and North America.” Yes, 100% is correct - every single beech tree is Connecticut is likely infected and will succumb to the disease. “The bigger a tree gets, the more leaves it needs. So, with no photosynthesis taking place on these leaves, the demise of this species is inevitable,” Poole said. It’s a relatively new disease, so history won’t solve the problem. “We can’t look back 50 years ago, ‘oh this happened, let’s do this,'” Poole said. There is a race against time for a cure, but sadly it’s already too late. “Something has to get sucked into the vascular system of these trees to get into the leaves,” Poole said. “The problem is, by the time scientists come up with a cure and it’s approved by the FDA, all the trees are going to be dead.” Every beech tree is in a different state of decline, so there is a safety concern if you have any beech trees in your yard. “These leaves are going to fall off, the tree is going to be in a state of decline, limbs are going to start falling off,” Poole said. “It’s more important to remove these trees while there is strength in the wood.” Check your yard for beech trees - they’re easily identified by their smooth trunk. Poole suggests having them removed before any strong wind gusts cause them to fall on your property. If you have any questions, a licensed arborist can help.
I disagree with removing the trees. it is a nematode hopefully something will take advantage of the vast quantities of it and start eating it. what if some of the American Beech have resistance and you chop it down, ensuring the species destruction like we did with American Chestnut
I live in the pacific northwest and have a tree in the back lawn. I have heard that they may, overtime need fertilization. Is that a fact, and if so what is used for that purpose? thank you.
Being that they've survived in the wild for multi-millennia, and are still going strong, who ever told you about needing fertilization is badly misled.
