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The beech tree is considered a valuable species throughout the world. In modern Europe, it is often planted for landscaping areas of city parks. In the wild you can find pure beech forests. Beech grows even in the mountains; the growing area of this tree is limited to an altitude of 2300 m above sea level.
Beech - what kind of tree is it?
Beech is a broad-leaved, tall, deciduous, slow-growing tree belonging to the Beech family. In many languages, the name of the beech tree is similar to the word “book”. This is due to the fact that bark and wooden sticks cut from beech were used in ancient times to write the first runes.
What does a beech tree look like?
The height of the beech tree reaches 30 m, the girth of the trunk in diameter is approximately 2 m. The trunk is covered with a thin layer of smooth gray bark. The beech crown has unusual properties; it is so thick that sunlight simply does not reach the lower branches, as a result of which photosynthesis processes are disrupted, the branches die and fall off.That is why they are located only in the upper part of the crown; the trunk remains bare almost to the very top of the tree.
The beech tree is a cozy home for birds. It looks mesmerizing at any time of the year. In autumn, the beech forest is replete with rich, bright shades, and in summer and spring it pleases the eye with lush green foliage.
Botanical description of the beech tree
The powerful branches of beech are covered with oval or oval-oblong leaves, the length of which ranges from 5 to 15 cm, width - from 4 to 10 cm. They can have light serrations or be entire. In the autumn-winter period, the beech sheds its foliage.
The scaly buds have an elongated shape and bloom on the shoots to replace leaves in winter. The flowering of the tree begins in the spring months, when the first leaves begin to open. The flowers collected in earrings are unisexual and are pollinated by the wind.
The triangular beech fruits are shaped like an acorn. Their length is 10 - 15 mm. The fruits have a dense, woody rind, collected 2 to 4 pieces in a shell consisting of 4 blades, which is called a plyus. The fruits are considered edible, despite the high content of tannin, which has a bitter taste. They are popularly called “beech nuts.”
Single standing trees begin to bear fruit after 20 - 40 years. Beech trees growing in groups begin to bear fruit after at least 60 years.
Beech roots are powerful and close to the soil surface; there is no pronounced tap root. Often the roots of several neighboring trees are intertwined.
Where does the beech tree grow in Russia?
Beech is considered one of the most widespread tree crops in Europe. The territory of mixed and deciduous forests of Europe, North America and Asia is literally strewn with beech trees.
In Russia you can find forest and oriental beech; they grow in the Crimea and the Caucasus. It will not be easy to grow this tree in central Russia. Without damage, it can withstand only short-term frosts down to -35 oC even at rest. The plant does not tolerate prolonged frosts. Even cold snaps down to -2 are fatal for young shoots, leaves and seedlings. oC.
Beech in landscape design
In landscape design, beech is used for landscaping city parks and alleys. Curly hedges are often formed from it. Trees are planted both individually and in groups, thereby creating an unusually beautiful green landscape of parks and forest parks.
The lush crown of the beech creates a pleasant partial shade underneath, in which you can place a summerhouse or bench to enjoy slight coolness on hot summer days.
Thanks to its dense foliage and thick crown, beech is perfect for planting in industrial areas of the city. The benefit of beech is that the tree purifies the water and air around it and protects soils from erosion. Its roots are able to release mineral and organic substances into the soil, which make it more fertile.
Sowing chestnut, oriental and common spruce, Weymouth pine, oak, birch, white fir, yew berry, juniper, rowan, and hornbeam get along well with this plant.
Types and varieties of beech
The most common types of beech, both in the wild and in gardening, are:
- Eastern beech (Caucasian). It is found in vast areas of the Crimea, the Caucasus and northern Asia Minor. It is often grown in protected natural complexes in the European part of Russia. It grows in beech forests or in proximity to other broad-leaved crops. The height of the tree can reach 50 m. It is distinguished from forest beech by a more rounded and even crown and larger elongated leaves, reaching 20 cm in length. Eastern beech is also more heat-loving;
- European beech (forest). It is the most common representative of this family. It grows wild in Western Ukraine, Belarus and Western Europe. In Russia it is also present in some reserves in the European part. The height of the forest beech reaches 30 m, its crown is powerful and ovoid in shape. The branches bear oval leaves up to 10 cm long;
- Engler. Considered a rare breed, this type of beech grows in the wild only in China. Cultivated specimens are used in park and garden landscape design in other countries. The height of the Englera beech tree reaches 20 m; its trunk is divided into several branches, thereby forming a wide oval crown. The plant is also distinguished from other species by the elongated oval shape of the leaves;
- Large-leaved beech. Most common in eastern North America and Western Europe. Prefers mixed deciduous forests, gets along well with maples, birches and lindens. The main feature of the species is large, elongated leaf plates and buds, stretching up to 2.5 cm in length.
Currently, there are even varieties of beech with leaves painted in unusual shades, these include the European beech Tricolor.
Planting and caring for beech
You can also grow beech in your summer cottage. This is a very shade-tolerant crop that can withstand even prolonged exposure to the shade. However, the plant also feels comfortable in the sun. The beech tree does not tolerate drought and needs abundant watering. It is not demanding on the soil; wet and dry, slightly acidic and alkaline soils are suitable for it - at least somewhat fertile soils. Planting work usually begins in the spring.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
Despite the fact that beech can grow on almost any soil, it prefers loamy, limestone soil. Beech is negatively affected by contaminated and saline soil. It is better to purchase beech seedlings in specialized stores, but you can also germinate them yourself from seeds.
How to plant beech
The main thing when planting beech is to choose the right time; seedlings are planted in the spring before the first buds appear. Otherwise, the tree will have weak immunity to diseases and grow slowly.
Landing algorithm:
- Dig a hole measuring 80 by 80 cm. Larger holes will help the roots grow faster.
- Drain the beech planting hole using stones.
- Add fertilizers that stimulate active growth of the root system.
- Place the beech seedling in the planting hole.
- Sprinkle with soil and water thoroughly.
- To better preserve the soil, the surface around the trunk of a young beech must be mulched with dry grass.
Watering and fertilizing
Young beeches need to be watered once a week. Twice a month they also require spraying, which allows you to wash away all dust and pests from parts of the plant.
Fertilizing after planting is carried out only while the beech tree is small. Plants are fed twice a year: in autumn and spring.
Mulching and loosening
Twice a month after spraying, the soil around young beech seedlings also needs to be loosened. After loosening, the tree trunk circle is mulched with a layer of dry grass, which allows the soil to be kept moist for a long time.
Trimming
The beech crown lends itself well to trimming and shaping. This is why the tree is so highly valued and is often used in landscape design to form green hedges and various compositions with other plants.
Regular pruning also helps rejuvenate the plant. However, beech branches and leaves grow very slowly, so the tree does not need to be pruned often. Typically, annual pruning is carried out in the spring.
In addition to its decorative function, pruning allows you to free the plant from old and unnecessary branches. The need for such procedures disappears only when the tree becomes an adult.
Preparing for winter
To survive the autumn-winter period, the beech tree needs a lot of moisture. Adult plants are not afraid of short-term cold snaps down to -35 oC. However, young seedlings are not suitable for such temperatures. For the winter they require a thick layer of mulch and additional shelter.
Beech propagation
Beech trees are propagated using:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- vaccinations;
- bends
Experienced gardeners recommend propagating beech by seeds. You can prepare seeds for planting yourself. To do this, the fruits must be collected as they ripen and stored in semi-moist sand until planting. Immediately before planting, they are placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, after which they are planted at home in seedling containers. Only with the arrival of warm, sunny days can the seedlings be transplanted into the ground.
Other propagation methods are layering, grafting and cuttings. However, the rooting rate of plants in this case is reduced to 12%. For three years after planting, the tree will grow very slowly, subsequently the growth rate will accelerate significantly. Good growth comes from a stump.
Diseases and pests
A beech tree can be affected by a number of parasitic fungi, which are extremely dangerous to the health and life of the plant. They cause diseases such as trunk cancer, brown spot, and various types of rot.
Trunk cancer | Its causative agent is a marsupial fungus. The disease can be detected by the presence of cancerous ulcers on the trunk. The mycelium of the fungus contributes to the death and damage of tree cells. Every year, cancerous ulcers increase in size, they can even cause the death of a tree. Small wounds should be trimmed and covered with creosote mixed with petroleum. Neglected trees must be cut down and destroyed. |
Brown leaf spot | A fungal disease that is detected by the presence of brown spots on the leaves. It usually only threatens young trees. When affected by spotting, trees are sprayed with special solutions (Bordeaux mixture, Horus, Barrier) |
White marble rot | It is caused by the fungus tinder fungus; its mycelium penetrates the wood, destroying it and forming rot. If tinder fungi are not removed in a timely manner, the tree may die. |
Conclusion
Beech wood can fit into the landscape design of any summer cottage. It will become an indispensable part of garden compositions and will create light partial shade underneath, which can be so pleasant to be in on hot summer days. Despite the fact that the plant can withstand strong temperature drops, it is extremely unstable to prolonged frosts. Planting beech is recommended in regions with warm winter climates.
