American Beech growing in Kent Co., Maryland (4/27/2014).

View Record Details Photo by Nancy Martin MBP List

American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/19/2012).

View Record Details Photo by Brandon Woo MBP List

American Beech, showing winter-persistent, or "marcescent," leaves in Montgomery Co., Maryland (12/12/2015).

View Record Details Photo by Mike Ostrowski MBP List

American Beech in Talbot Co., Maryland (3/26/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

American Beech leaves in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/17/2012).

Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

An American Beech in Harford Co., Maryland (5/3/2017).

View Record Details Photo by Josh Emm MBP List

American Beech in Caroline Co., Maryland (8/2/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Wayne Longbottom MBP List

Blooming American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/11/2019).

View Record Details Photo by Matthew Beziat MBP List

Young fruit of an American Beech in Howard Co., Maryland (6/20/2015).

View Record Details Photo by Richard Orr MBP List

American Beech in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/21/2015).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

American Beech blooming in Caroline Co., Maryland (4/18/2017).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

American Beech blooming in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/12/2011). Male flowers opening up.

View Record Details Photo by Bill Harms MBP List

American Beech, shoot with new leaves and cluster of male flowers, in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/3/2016).

View Record Details Photo by Jane Hill MBP List

The bud of an American Beech in Talbot Co., Maryland (2/25/2013).

View Record Details Photo by Jim Brighton MBP List

American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (2/17/2011).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Harms MBP List

American Beech in Garrett Co., Maryland (4/25/2019).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

American Beech hosting the mite <em>Aceria ferruginea</em> in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/24/2017). (Photo ID: 80725 - Psn: 120)

American Beech hosting the mite Aceria ferruginea in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/24/2017).

View Record Details Photo by Bill Hubick MBP List

An American Beech with atypical roots in Howard Co., Maryland (12/12/2015).

View Record Details Photo by Nancy Magnusson MBP List

American Beech in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/27/2020). (c) jdstafford, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 198141 - Psn: 145)

American Beech in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/27/2020). (c) jdstafford, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by jdstafford via iNaturalist MBP List

American Beech in Calvert Co., Maryland (12/17/2017).

View Record Details Photo by Wayne Longbottom MBP List

American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/17/2020). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. (Photo ID: 289061 - Psn: 200)

View Record Details Photo by Timothy Reichard MBP List

American Beech in Caroline Co., Maryland (5/29/2016). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 289652 - Psn: 200)

American Beech in Caroline Co., Maryland (5/29/2016). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Wayne Longbottom MBP List

American Beech in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/25/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/'>CC BY</a>). (Photo ID: 290751 - Psn: 200)

American Beech in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/25/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY).

View Record Details Photo by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist MBP List

American Beech in Baltimore Co., Maryland (12/4/2021). (c) Jesse C., some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 493913 - Psn: 200)

American Beech in Baltimore Co., Maryland (12/4/2021). (c) Jesse C., some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by jesse via iNaturalist MBP List

American Beech in Caroline Co., Maryland (6/6/2023). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/'>CC BY-NC</a>). (Photo ID: 818935 - Psn: 200)

American Beech in Caroline Co., Maryland (6/6/2023). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC).

View Record Details Photo by Wayne Longbottom MBP List

American Beech in Prince George's Co., Maryland (4/20/2026). (c) davidenrique, some rights reserved (<a rel='license' href='http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/'>CC BY-NC-SA</a>) (Photo ID: 1495206 - Psn: 200)

American Beech in Prince George's Co., Maryland (4/20/2026). (c) davidenrique, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)

View Record Details Photo by David via iNaturalist MBP List

Map Snapshot

1,199 Records

GA AL WA FR CL MO HO BA BC HA CE PG AA CV CH SM KE QA CN TA DO WI SO WO

Status

Grows in rich, moist woods, sometimes in nearly pure stands (Brown and Brown, 1972). Occurs in every county in Maryland.

Description

American Beech trees have smooth gray bark without furrows or ridges. Buds are long and sharp pointed. Brown, dead leaves commonly remain on the branches in winter. This phenomenon, called "marcescence," is also displayed by many oaks (Quercus species). The persistent dead leaves commonly make beech and oak trees stand out in winter woods.

Relationships

The angiospermous, above-ground plant Beechdrops is entirely dependent for its nutrition (i.e., parasitic) on roots of American Beech.

Host plant for various moth species including Olethreutes fagigemmeana, Serviceberry Leafroller Moth, Filbertworm Moth, Banded Tussock Moth, and Angulose Prominent Moth (Database of World's Lepidopteran Host Plants, Gilligan, Wright, & Gibson, 2008, Miller et al., 2018).

Frequently host to the mite Aceria ferruginea.

Host to Beech Blight Aphid and the fungus Scorias spongiosa, which grows on the honeydew secreted by the aphid.

Associated with Knothole Moss.

Seasonality Summary

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Resources

View at iNaturalist Search Google Images Search MBP Facebook posts

View at Maryland Plant Atlas Search Flora of North America Search Mid-Atlantic Herbaria Consortium Search Norton-Brown Herbarium Search MNPS Facebook posts

Citations

No citations linked for this taxon yet.

Use of media featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

American Beech growing in Kent Co., Maryland (4/27/2014). View Record Details Media by Nancy Martin.

American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/19/2012). View Record Details Media by Brandon Woo.

American Beech, showing winter-persistent, or "marcescent," leaves in Montgomery Co., Maryland (12/12/2015). View Record Details Media by Mike Ostrowski.

American Beech in Talbot Co., Maryland (3/26/2016). View Record Details Media by Jim Brighton.

American Beech leaves in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (6/17/2012). Media by Bill Hubick.

An American Beech in Harford Co., Maryland (5/3/2017). View Record Details Media by Josh Emm.

American Beech in Caroline Co., Maryland (8/2/2016). View Record Details Media by Wayne Longbottom.

Blooming American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/11/2019). View Record Details Media by Matthew Beziat.

Young fruit of an American Beech in Howard Co., Maryland (6/20/2015). View Record Details Media by Richard Orr.

American Beech in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/21/2015). View Record Details Media by Jim Brighton.

American Beech blooming in Caroline Co., Maryland (4/18/2017). View Record Details Media by Jim Brighton.

American Beech blooming in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/12/2011). Male flowers opening up. View Record Details Media by Bill Harms.

American Beech, shoot with new leaves and cluster of male flowers, in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/3/2016). View Record Details Media by Jane Hill.

The bud of an American Beech in Talbot Co., Maryland (2/25/2013). View Record Details Media by Jim Brighton.

American Beech in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (2/17/2011). View Record Details Media by Bill Harms.

American Beech in Garrett Co., Maryland (4/25/2019). View Record Details Media by Bill Hubick.

American Beech hosting the mite Aceria ferruginea in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/24/2017). View Record Details Media by Bill Hubick.

An American Beech with atypical roots in Howard Co., Maryland (12/12/2015). View Record Details Media by Nancy Magnusson.

American Beech in Baltimore Co., Maryland (7/27/2020). (c) jdstafford, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by jdstafford via iNaturalist.

American Beech in Calvert Co., Maryland (12/17/2017). View Record Details Media by Wayne Longbottom.

American Beech in Caroline Co., Maryland (5/29/2016). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Wayne Longbottom.

American Beech in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/25/2020). (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY). View Record Details Media by Katja Schulz via iNaturalist.

American Beech in Baltimore Co., Maryland (12/4/2021). (c) Jesse C., some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by jesse via iNaturalist.

American Beech in Caroline Co., Maryland (6/6/2023). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). View Record Details Media by Wayne Longbottom.

American Beech in Prince George's Co., Maryland (4/20/2026). (c) davidenrique, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA) View Record Details Media by David via iNaturalist.