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Native Trees of Prince Edward IslandAmerican beech (Fagus grandifolia)
Beech is common throughout the hardwood areas of PEI but is rapidly being killed or deformed by the beech canker. It grows up to 60 feet with a diameter of 18 inches. The trunk is usually short, often crooked and breaks up near the ground into a dense, massive crown of wide-spreading tough and flexible branches.
It is usually found on rich bottom lands and moist, well drained slopes and ridges. It is sometimes found in pure stands but more often is mixed with our other native hardwoods.
Source:"Native Trees of Prince Edward Island and the more Common Woodland Shrubs". by J.F. Gaudet and W.M. Profitt Dept. of Agriculture. Charlottetown, PEI. 1958.
American Beech leaves.
American Beech winter twig.
In 1806, John Stewart wrote an excellent description of Forest Trees and Other Vegetable Productions on PEI at that time. In it, he states about beech:
This tree grows in great abundance, probably better than one-half of the Island is covered with it, in some districts it forms nine-tenths of the forest, in others, it ii more mixed with other trees, its mast is produced in vast quantities in some seasons, the effects of which shall be mentioned hereafter, it is a large handsome forest tree the timber is sometimes exported, but the chief value of it at present, is for fire wood, for which, no other wood exceeds it.
Beech is an important component of the Acadian Forest.
For more pictures and description of this species, check out the Atlantic Forestry Centre, the CFS N.B. trees or the Iowa State University Dendrology Page, or the Dendrology at Virginia Tech Page. For a through review of the ecology, refer to the Silvics of North America.
Beech tree typical form.
Beech leaf.
Beech twig.
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We offer a number of workshops and guided tours at the Macphail Woods and it is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the native trees of Prince Edward Island. Check out the Events Calendar for more information. Web development and maintenance by Chris Martin.
