Today, I’m excited to share with you an informative guide on how to identify the Common Beech.
It’s known as Fagus sylvatica.
This magnificent tree is found throughout Southern and Central England. It’s also planted across Britain and Ireland.
The Common Beech thrives in nutrient-rich soil but tends to avoid damp areas. You can often find it in plantations and parks, contributing to the stunning landscapes of these areas.
The Common Beech stands out with its tall, curving trunk. It forms a large, rounded shape on top of its sturdy, sleek branches.
It’s one of the tallest leafy trees in the UK, reaching heights of up to 40 meters. The tree’s thick leaves create a canopy that blocks sunlight from reaching the ground.
This unique characteristic also protects the tree’s thin lower bark from intense sun. Older trees which are often trimmed at the top.
It’s interesting to note that beech trees don’t live as long as other large trees. They are prone to falling over and rotting.
The branches stay close to the ground. They can grow up to 3 meters high. They keep their dead leaves throughout winter, making them ideal for hedges.
The shoots are thin, grey, and silky and have a distinctive zig-zag shape. The buds have a shape resembling narrow cones. They measure about 2 centimetres in length. They are copper-grey in colour and spread out at a 60-degree angle.
The leaves are up to 10 centimetres long. These leaves have small, spaced-out serrations along their edges.
Hairs fringe the serrations. The leaves feel silky when opening, and you can see 5 to 9 pairs of veins on each leaf.
The fruit of the Common Beech are nuts enclosed in spiky shells. They hang on 2-centimetre-long stems, a unique feature of this tree.
Join me in my latest video, ‘How to Identify Cleavers aka Goosegrass (Galium aparine),’ where I provide a detailed guide to recognising this ubiquitous plant.
Known as a cosmopolitan weed, Cleavers is widespread and can be found in various environments worldwide, especially throughout the British Isles and across Europe.
In this video, I’ll take you through the unique characteristics of Cleavers:
STEMS: I start by examining the square stems of Cleavers, notable for their rough texture and prickles pointing backward. This distinctive feature makes it easy to identify the plant in the wild.
LEAVES: Discover how to spot the plant’s leaves, which are 12 to 50 millimeters long and arranged in whorls of 6 to 8 around the stem. I’ll focus on their linear-oblanceolate shape and the small, backward-pointing prickles along the edges.
FLOWERS: Learn about the small groups of 2 to 5 flowers that appear in the axillary regions of the plant. I’ll show you how to identify these unique blossoms where the leaf joins the main stem.
FRUITS: I’ll also discuss the fruits of Cleavers, small in size (4 to 6 millimeters) and covered with distinctive white, hooked bristles.
HABITAT: Understanding the habitat of Cleavers is crucial for identification. I’ll explore the various environments where it thrives, from hedgerows and agricultural areas to stream banks, rocky slopes, and rich, undeveloped lands.
DISTRIBUTION AND FLOWERING SEASON: Finally, I’ll provide insights into the distribution of this plant and its flowering season, which typically spans from April to September.
Hemlock water dropwort is a member of the Apiaceae (Carrot) family. Which contains some very toxic plants.
It is considered the most toxic plant growing in Britain.
It contains a powerful neurotoxin called oenanthetoxin, which triggers spasmodic convulsions, usually followed by sudden death.
Height: Tall and robust up to 1.5 metre.
Leaves: 3 to 4 either oval, lobed or toothed and in the same arrangement as a feather (pinnate).
The leaf stalk (petiole) is attached to the flower stem by a sheath.
Stems: Hairless, grooved and hollow.
Flowers are clustered in distinct umbels (they look like pom-poms).
Habitat: Found around lakes, marshy ground, ponds, along the waters-edge of rivers and river banks.
Flowers: Between May and August.
Lookalikes: Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Wild celery (Apium graveolens), Narrow leaved water-parsnip (Berula erecta) and River Water-dropwort (Oenanthe fluviatilis).
It is a tuberous perennial plant that resembles celery with roots like a bunch of large white carrots.
The highest concentration of toxic properties is in the roots. Then the stems and finally the leaves.
The toxin seems able to enter the body through the skin, so care should be exercised when handling it, particularly any sap.
Be very careful when handling the leaves as there are reports that the toxin can enter the body through the skin. Be especially careful if you get sap on you.