Fagus japonica

Japanese beech is in the beech or Fagaceae family and is native to Japan where it is one of the main trees, particularly on the Pacific side of the country. It can reach up to 25 m in height.

• Growth habit is often multi-trunked; bark is smooth gray.
• Leaves are alternate, simple, ovate or elliptical, 5–8 cm long and 2.5–5 cm across, dark green above, slightly glaucous or grey-green below, pubescent on both sides when young, becoming glabrous above but persistently pubescent beneath at least along the midrib, containing 10–14 vein-pairs, having a corrugated appearance. The leaf margins are smooth.
• The species is monoecious, with round clusters of white flowers 2 cm in diameter hanging from short stems.
• Female flowers develop into spiny husks with 1 cm; there are 3 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.