Let’s go to the Beech

The Beech tree is one of my favorites. Small leaves, strong wood, edible nut, and a beautiful branching structure.

Unfortunately this isn't a common tree you can buy to plant in your yard. Why is that - I asked Bill Kirkpatrick at Kirkpatrick Nursery. 'They're slow growing, and extremely picky about soil conditions. They need to come up naturally'.

Beech trees are often found in the northeast as part of Maple-Beech and Beech-Oak forests, climax mesic biomes (the final steady state of forests around here). Early Americans recognized the difficulty of cultivating Beech trees, and started to identify Beech-rich areas as fertile land, the perfect location for a new farm. Many Beech forests were clearcut. Beeches are plentiful throughout the natural land of our township and provide immense wildlife value. Beech nuts are ripe between September and November, but should be cooked before being consumed to reduce the bitter flavor and effects from saponin glycosid.