American beech
Description
A deciduous Beech tree, Fagus grandifolia, native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia to Texas. Beechwood is a pale reddish-brown timber from the beech trees is a hard, tough, fine-grain wood. It is used for furniture, flooring, Plywood, Veneer, cooperage, shoe lasts, and tool handles.
Synonyms and Related Terms
beechwood; Fagus grandifolia;
Physical and Chemical Properties
Wood is acidic. Color: Pinkish brown with dark brown rays. Rings: obscure. Pores: diffuse, fine. Grain: faint. Rays: distinct. Hard, strong and heavy. Specific gravity = 0.74. Density = 46 ppcf.
Large trees growing to 35 m. Bark=smooth, gray. Leaves=simple with veins and toothed edges. Fruit=Large husk containing 2 shiny brown edible nuts.
Additional Images
Beech (Fagus americana)
radial section
Beech (Fagus americana)
tangential section
Beech (Fagus americana)
transverse section
Resources and Citations
- Alden Identification Services, Microscopic Wood Identification: Link
- Dictionary of Building Preservation, Ward Bucher, ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York City, 1996
- Virginia Tech Dendrology website at www.fw.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/main.htm (accessed Oct. 8, 2005)
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Beech (Accessed Oct. 8, 2005)
- Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Douglas M. Considine (ed.), Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1976
- The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998
- Gordon Hanlon, contributed information, 1998