Beech Tree
Beech is often seen as a feminine tree and particularly elegant examples may earn the name 'Queen beech'.
Beech woodlands are characterised by a carpet of crispy fallen leaves and nut casings on the ground.
Distribution
Beech was a late entrant to Great Britain after the last glaciation, and may have been restricted to basic soils in the south of England. The beech is classified as a native in the south of England and as a non-native in the north where it is often removed from 'native' woods. Large areas of the Chilterns are covered with beech woods.
Beech is not native to Ireland; however, it was widely planted from the 18th century, and can become a problem shading out the native woodland understory.
The common European beech grows naturally in Denmark and southern Sweden. As a naturally growing forest tree, it marks the important border between the European deciduous forest zone and the northern pine forest zone. This border is important for both wildlife and fauna and is a sharp line along the Swedish western coast, which gets broader toward the south
Average height 10-35m
