Beech - Fagus sylvatica
Large spreading tree to 30 metres. Leaves shallowly toothed with parallel veins. Flowers appearing with the young leaves. Male in drooping tassels, female separate and erect. Fruit known as 'Beech mast' is a triangular nut in a bristly woody splitting husk.
Woods, and sometimes on sandy soils. Not native to Leicestershire.
April and May.
Deciduous, but brown dead leaves often remain on the branches for a long time. Much planted - isolated trees found in various locations as well as in woodland.
Fairly frequent in most of Britain.
Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 326 of the 617 tetrads.
Graham Calow
Near High Cross
09 June 2016
David Nicholls
Swithland Wood
25 August 2011
alternate leaves
Graham Calow
Sapcote
28 April 2014
flowers and leaf. B4114 Leicester Road Junction Sapcote SP 5031 9306 (taken 5.10..2007).JPG)
Graham Calow
Sapcote
05 October 2007
ripe fruit splitting open
David Nicholls
Burbage Wood
28 February 2022
Saharima Roenisch
Abbey Park
06 July 2017
Copper Beech
David Nicholls
Martinshaw Wood
12 November 2011
David Nicholls
Burbage Wood
28 February 2022
. B4114 Leicester Road Junction Sapcote SP 5031 9306 (taken 5.10..2007).JPG)
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Species profile
- Common names
- Beech
- Species group:
- Trees, Shrubs & Climbers
- Kingdom:
- Plantae
- Order:
- Fagales
- Family:
- Fagaceae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 190
- First record:
- 25/04/2007 (Dave Wood)
- Last record:
- 26/02/2024 (Nicholls, David)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
10km squares with records
The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.
In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.
Latest images
Latest records
stepgray4
Orchard Way, Wymeswold
04 August 2021
sue
Ulverscroft, along track leading down to grazed fields
25 April 2023
seedling
steven lewis
Stathern woods
20 May 2019
'Aspleniifolia' Fern-leaved beech
Peter Smith
Cropston
17 September 2011
Smooth, grey bark. (Pollarded specimen.)
Barbara Cooper
Felicity's Wood
22 February 2018
Peter Smith
Bradgate Park
01 May 2016
Male and female flowers
stepgray4
Ulverscroft NR
16 May 2021
stepgray4
Burton Plantation
21 February 2021
Andy's Rutland
A606-River Gwash to Empingham Church
14 May 2020
Andy's Rutland
Lower Lake-Exton Estate
10 October 2018
Saharima Roenisch
Welford Road Cemetery
03/07/2017
f. purpurea - Copper Beech
stepgray4
Charnwood Lodge
22 November 2020
Long and thin bud.
Saharima Roenisch
Spinney Hill Park
01 July 2017
Copper Beech (Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea)
stepgray4
Charnwood Lodge
22 November 2020
Leaves
Saharima Roenisch
Abbey Park
07 November 2018
var. laciniata - Cut-leaf Beech
Andy's Rutland
Footpath-River Gwash-Empingham
21 October 2018 B4114 Leicester Road Junction Sapcote SP 5031 9306 (taken 27.8.2007).JPG)
Graham Calow
Sapcote
27 August 2007
fruiting branch
Saharima Roenisch
The Leicestershire Golf Club
07 July 2018
Graham Calow
Frolesworth
11 May 2015
Andy's Rutland
Headland/Footpath-Love's Lane to Gunnel Lane Meadow-Empingham
17 July 2018 B4114 Leicester Road Junction Sapcote SP 5031 9306 (taken 29.6.2007).JPG)
Graham Calow
Sapcote
29 June 2007
fruit - a nut ('Beech-mast')
Andy's Rutland
Headland/Footpath-Love's Lane to Gunnel Lane Meadow-Empingham
17 July 2018
David Nicholls
Warren Hills
17 January 2021
Alan Semper
Harby garden
20 October 2012
sue
Ulverscroft, along track leading down to grazed fields
25 April 2023
 B4114 Leicester Road Junction Sapcote SP 5031 9306 (taken 27.8.2007).JPG)
 B4114 Leicester Road Junction Sapcote SP 5031 9306 (taken 29.6.2007).JPG)
