If you are a tree lover and you want to find more information, you don't have to worry in this article you will be able to know everything about the majestic Beech Tree, from its origin, care, characteristics and its different varieties, since it is known to be one one of the most beautiful and largest in the world.
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The Beech tree is also scientifically known as Fagus Sylvatica, this is one of the most popular trees found in temperate and continental climate forests in Europe, the Beech is one of the most important when spring arrives, since it usually its leaves change to a reddish or orange color depending on its variety.
This beautiful tree has a height greater than forty meters, sometimes it grows vertically like a pine because it is grouped, while if it is isolated it is leafy. Beech trees originated in Europe, stretching from the Polio forests to central Greece, Sweden and Norway all the way north to Trondheim.
However, they are also found in central Europe, highlighting various forests such as the Black Forest in Germany, the Irati Forest in Navarra in Spain, the Soignes Forest and also Sart-Tilman in Belgium and the Beech Forests in France, which are the ten percent of the forests.
The Beech, when found in crops, does not usually grow more than fifteen to twenty meters, on the other hand, its crown usually has very simple leaves, which change depending on the age of the specimen, if it is a young tree it has colored leaves green or purple that change to yellow and red as time goes on until they arrive in autumn, when they drop their leaves.
In general, the branches of the Beech, depending on the variety, can have them completely arched until they touch the ground or they can be only slightly arched, giving it a more leafy figure. This tree has male and female varieties which differ as follows:
- Female Beech trees usually have flowers in groups of one to three on a grayish stem.
- Male Beech trees only sprout flowers in round buds.
Its fruit has an open dome shape and has three seeds called beechnuts inside, which take a long time to start growing when they fall, thus giving it a lifespan of more than three hundred years.
Varieties
The Beech tree species has a diverse variety where each one has different characteristics, the most popular are:
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Beech Tree Atropurpurea
This variety of Beech tree is known as the Red Leaf Beech and can be seen a lot in gardens. Despite being a cold weather tree, it can also be kept in less temperate climates. It is characterized by having bright red leaves. when they are young while when they finish developing their color changes to a strong purple.
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Beech Pendula Tree
Better known as the weeping beech tree, its species is characterized by hanging branches that can touch the ground and even take root, making its trunk generally difficult to see. Therefore, it does not reach twenty-five meters in height, since it mostly grows wide, its leaves are very wide and long, which have a size of five to ten centimeters.
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Twisted Beech Tree
This variety is known as the Faux de Verzy in France, this tree is one of the strangest species of Beech. It has a tortuous trunk, with somewhat twisted, curved and changing branches that give the shape of an umbrella. Its growth is usually slow, due to the fact that it tends to spread more in width than in height.
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Albovariegata Beech Tree
This variety is not widely found but can be distinguished by having green leaves with yellow edges and can be large.
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Beech Fastigiata Tree
This species is characterized by having a very straight growth as if it were a column, usually after twenty meters only the trunk begins to grow up to three meters wide.
Care and Conservation
In many cases, in order to have a Beech tree, a series of care must be carried out so that this beautiful specimen grows and is maintained for years, some of these care are:
Climate
The Beech, despite being a resistant tree, to be able to grow it, it must be taken into account that it is essential to have temperate or continental climates where winters are very cold and with high humidity.
Location
The Beech tree must be kept completely outside, in a place where the sun can reach it and it also has shade, so if it is planted in the Mediterranean it is important to keep it away from the sea winds, since it can harm its leaves. Something that is also recommended is to plant them ten meters away from paved floors, pipes, plants, among other things.
Earth
In general, if the Beech tree is to be planted in a garden, it must be taken into account that the soil should not be clayey, acidic or with a pH between four and six, since in general the water in these lands does not scatters into mud.
If the idea is to be planted in a pot, it should be taken into account that if the place is cold, a suitable substrate or mulch should be placed on it, and if it is in a hot climate, it is advisable to plant it with volcanic sand or similar.
Risks
This leafy tree, despite being resistant to many things, one of the risks it has is that it cannot survive drought or muddy conditions, because when summer falls they need to be constantly watered so that the substrate or soil does not dry out. completely dry, however in the rest of the year it should only be watered moderately.
In order to prevent the roots from rotting or drying out, you can check the humidity of the soil before watering it, this can be done simply by inserting a wooden stick into the ground, if when you pull it out it comes out clean, you will have to pour water .
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In addition to water, it is also important to know that the Beech tree needs different nutrients to stay healthy, so it is important to be able to put a fertilizer full of vitamins and new substrates so that it can protect itself from insects, pests and microorganisms such as fungi that they can make you sick.
The Beech tree needs only organic fertilizer, since it has natural fertilizers that will help it grow and not only that, so you can have an impeccable garden. In the nurseries there are varieties of fertilizers that are useful for the plants but not for the Beech.
Reproduction
The Beech tree can be reproduced in a simple way if the seeds are fresh, if it is winter the seeds can be sown directly in the pot and in spring it will be able to germinate without any problem, if on the other hand you do not have fresh seeds within your reach, to To be able to guarantee that if they germinate, it is advisable to place them in the refrigerator at about six degrees for at least two or three months so that in spring they can be sown, the best way is as follows:
- First, a container must be filled with a semi-moistened iron and magnesium mineral.
- Then the seeds will be placed to place a little more of the mineral on top.
- Then a little sulfur should be added to prevent the growth of fungi.
- The next thing to do is to close the container and place it in the coldest part of the fridge.
- Once a week this container should be removed to renew the air, this procedure should be done for three months.
- When spring arrives, the pot should be filled with enough substrate.
- Then the seeds will be placed almost on the surface, which will be covered with a little fertilizer linked with the substrate.
- Finally, you should water and take the pot outside in a shady place so that they germinate in the spring.
Utility of the Beech Tree
When talking about the Beech tree, it can be said that it has different functions and everything will depend on what is desired. The most common functions are:
Ornamental
This leafy tree is considered one of the most beautiful in the world, mainly because it gives a pleasant shade as it grows and has very bright colors.
Food
Most of the fruit that this tree bears is used as food for livestock, since it provides them with natural vitamins.
Medicinal
Since ancient times, the beech tree has been used as a natural remedy. The leaves, when used as an infusion, can be used to treat the flu, bronchitis, and pharyngitis, and as an antidiarrheal. However, today, pharmaceutical companies have extracted various components from the tree's branches to create widely used medications, such as analgesics, expectorants, antipyretics, antiseptic creams, and anti-inflammatories.
Beech Cultivation in Hot Climates
Despite the fact that it has been previously commented that the climate of this tree has to be in temperate climates, if a crop can be grown in hot climates, these must be between thirty-eight maximum temperature, since only one must have a minimal care, although its growth will be much slower than normal.
The care that must be taken, in order to have a healthy Beech tree in a warm place, are mainly:
- Keep it in an area where only the sun can reach it for at least three hours.
- Being constantly watered is important to always check that the land is not completely dry.
- When autumn and winter arrive, water every two or three days
- Use enough fertilizer as it grows.
Something that must be taken into account is that because it is a warm climate, it cannot be transplanted into a garden, since the land will not be suitable for the tree. If you want to plant it in a pot, it can grow no more than one meter. Tall.
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