Fagus grandifolia

American beech is a member of the beech or Fagaceae family and is native to the eastern North America. It grows to 20–35 m tall, with smooth, silver-gray bark.

• Leaves are alternate, simple, ovate, dark green, 6–12 cm long, with short petioles, and sparsely-toothed with 11–15 pairs of straight veins and small teeth that terminate each vein. They noticeably remain on the tree until the spring (are marescent).
• Species is monoecious, with small round 2-cm diameter flower clusters of both sexes on the same tree, males hanging from 2.5 cm stocks, females on shorter spikes.
• Flowers develop into small, sharply-angled nuts with soft-spined husks and 2-3 irregularly triangular seeds inside.
• Winter twigs are distinctive, having buds which are long, slender and sharply pointed, with two rows of overlapping scales on the buds.